Marion and James met in Catford, South London when they were just seven years old. As they got older, they started dating and fell in love. A year after the two got together, Marion found out she was pregnant. She was living with her grandmother at the time, and her Nan told her if she planned on keeping the baby she had to move out. Sadly, James’ parents were outraged and also wanted nothing to do with the situation. Marion left her grandmother’s house and moved in with her mom, who already lived in a council house with her partner and four young children.
Marion gave birth to her beautiful baby boy, and three months later the council said the house was overcrowded and she had to leave. In desperation, she placed the child for adoption so she could move back in with her grandmother. Marion and James continued their relationship. They went on to get married a few years later and then had two more children, both daughters. Years later the couple divorced and each was remarried. Together though, they still had a strong desire to find their son.
After the crew of Long Lost Family was able to facilitate a reunion for the family, Marion and James shared health concerns with their son, Simon. He explained that he had been diagnosed with the hereditary heart condition, coronary heart disease. He was already taking medication to treat the illness. Despite that news, his parents insisted that he go back to the doctor and have everything checked once more. He did as they had instructed, and ended up having an emergency quadruple heart bypass surgery. Simon said that reuniting with his family quite literally saved his life. He wants to encourage others to do the same. Since the show, the family continues to play an active role in each other’s lives.
Read the original story here.
