On a cold February night in 1965, a mysterious figure quietly entered Grace Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, carrying a tiny infant. The baby, diagnosed with congenital glaucoma, was at risk of going blind without immediate surgery. The woman who brought the child to the hospital identified herself as Mary Carson, and she named the baby Kim, claiming the child was just two and a half months old. Nurse supervisor Billy Updike, who received the child, was struck by Mary’s calm demeanor, especially when she mentioned she had to leave to care for two older children at home.
Mary promised to return the next day for her baby’s operation, but she never did.
When Billy returned to work the following day, she was shocked to learn that Mary had not come back. Without her presence, the doctors were unable to perform the life-saving surgery. Desperate, hospital administrator Douglas Pace attempted to find Mary, but when he visited the address she had given, he found only a vacant lot.
Realizing they had a baby on their hands without a parent, Douglas Pace convinced a judge to issue a court order allowing the doctors to proceed with the surgery. The operation was a success, but Kim’s eyesight would never be normal.
The story of baby Kim quickly garnered attention. An article in the February 11, 1965 edition of the Richmond Times generated an outpouring of sympathy, donations, and adoption inquiries.
However, despite the widespread interest, no one could provide any information about who had abandoned baby Kim. A police investigation also led nowhere.
Eighteen months later, after several operations and foster homes, another report in the Times caught the attention of Richard and Sandra Butler, local residents who were moved by Kim’s plight. Richard, particularly, was determined to adopt Kim. The couple opened their home and hearts to the little girl, renaming her Kimberly Dawn. Despite her struggles with poor eyesight, Kimberly was treated just like the Butlers’ two biological children.
She grew up, graduated from high school, attended college, and eventually became a teacher. In 1989, she married Michael Smith, a deputy sheriff.
For years, Kimberly showed little interest in learning about her birth parents, but that changed when she became a mother. The birth of her children made her reflect on her own origins, realizing that she knew nothing about the day she was born, her birth weight, or even her exact birth date.
This curiosity turned into a necessity when her son, Tyler, began suffering from repeated respiratory infections. Doctors feared the cause might be genetic, and Kimberly realized that her lack of medical history could have serious implications for her children’s health. Determined to find answers, she began searching for her birth parents.
Despite her desire to uncover her past, Kimberly harbors no anger towards her birth mother.
She believes that her mother’s decision to leave her at the hospital was out of necessity, possibly because she couldn’t afford the medical treatment Kimberly needed. Kimberly is grateful that her mother took her to the hospital and registered her for surgery, actions that ultimately saved her sight.
The mystery of Kimberly Smith’s parents remains unsolved, but her story is a testament to resilience and the search for identity. As Kimberly continues to search for answers, she does so not out of bitterness, but out of a desire to know more about herself and to ensure the health and well-being of her children.
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