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Two Adoptees Get Birth Records At Statehouse Event

Theresa Carroll and Gary Brozowki react to getting birth records.
Phil Gregory

More than 1200 adults adopted as children have filed to obtain birth records under a law that took effect in New Jersey at the beginning of the year.

Two got their birth certificates at a Statehouse event marking the change in policy that had limited access to the sealed records.

East Islip, New York resident Theresa Carroll says her parents told her 45 years ago that she was adopted and she hopes that finally getting information about her birth parents could help link her to other family members.

"I could not have children and I tried everything in the past to have children. That's a strong reason why I really would love to know if I have any siblings, or nieces, or nephews or anything out there because I have nobody now. Hopefully I will have somebody."

Sparta resident Gary Brozowski knew he was adopted since he was in the second grade and says it's emotional to finally get his birth certificate.

"I think the most important thing now that I'm 51 is the medical information. When I was younger I never really thought about the medical part of it except when asked the questions, what do you know about your birth parents, are they still alive, are there any diseases? I didn't know anything so I just put I don't know."

Senator Diane Allen pushed for the new law because she says adoptees were being treated as second-class citizens when they were denied information about their birth parents.

“What the government did to adoptees is atrocious and I am so thankful that we finally have finally changed that, that everybody is now the same level. No other civil right infractions would have been allowed to stand for so long.”