‘I got somebody’: Arkansas woman battling cancer reunites with birth mother after decades-long search
An Arkansas woman’s lifelong search for her birth mother ended just when she needed family most —during her battle with breast cancer.
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — One Arkansas woman who has spent decades searching for her birth family is now sharing her story.
Ashley Pruitt has known part of her story her entire life — she was adopted at birth via a closed adoption, and since then, she has spent years in search of her birth family.
“I was 11, sneaking, trying to find out. I knew my mom was 24 when she had me. I knew she was 125 pounds. I knew just bits and pieces,” Pruitt described.
However, she held onto that information her entire life, even through her toughest season.
In August, Pruitt was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent her first chemotherapy treatment in September.
“I got on my knees, and I got on my knees. Just be in that room with God. I was desperate at that time to sit in that hospital and realize I don’t even know if I have enough people to carry my casket. That’s hurtful,” Pruitt said.
It was a hard realization for the North Little Rock mother. Though she never imagined that what she prayed for was about to come true.
“I got a text message out of nowhere saying that [it was my] aunt, [my] dad’s sister. I just had to read it and look at it and stare,” Pruitt said.
Through photos, Pruitt finally saw parts of her story. She saw her father, who recently passed, and her mother.
“I didn’t have, I didn’t have anybody. Not nobody. But I will today, after today, I got somebody. I sure do after today, after today, I got somebody,” Pruitt said.
After 41 years, Pruitt’s wait is now over.
“This is the first time I’m gonna lay eyes on my mom and get to look at her. I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Pruitt said.
The excitement was impossible to contain.
Her mother, brother, and cousin were on the way from Texas to meet her for the first time ever.
“Do I kiss the lady? Do I hug the lady? You know, is she going to be able to take me?,” described Pruitt.
Pruitt, with flowers in hand, looked to be her 11-year-old self once again.
When her mother drove up the street in front of her home, she made her way to the driveway.
Surrounded by her best friend, fiancé, and two children, the moment belonged to Ashley Pruitt. When she reached her mom, they embraced in a heartfelt hug.
The pieces she had spent her life searching for were finally coming together.
“God really overdid himself. I keep asking myself, Why me? Why me? He truly went above and beyond,” she explained.
When she got to her Mom, a hug they both embraced. The pieces she spent her life searching for finally came together.
“God, really overdid himself, like and I keep telling and asking myself, why me? Why me? He really overdid himself,” Pruitt said.
It felt as if no time had been lost, as Pruitt’s prayer was staring back at her.
Pruitt is scheduled to undergo a bilateral mastectomy procedure on November 7.
While at the same hospital, her mom will be by her side, and her father’s side of the family is expected to fly in the day after her procedure to be with her.