[KHTS] – This year, Chris Schauble, KTLA news anchor and Stevenson Ranch resident, celebrated Mother’s Day twice over, honoring his adoptive mom and his birth mom, who he met for the first time in April.
It came after Schauble’s six-month journey to find his birth family, that ended in meeting his birth mother, Virginia Robinson and the family of his late birth father, John Charles “J.C.” Robinson.
Schauble, who is now 44, said that for most of his life he didn’t care to search for his birth family, because he was raised by loving adoptive parents and is very happy in who he is.
But he also realized that there were certain things about his medical history that he would never be able to share with his wife and daughters.
“The older I get, the more I realize I really do care,” he said.
In October, with the help of a KTLA crew, Schauble started on square one, his birthplace and place of adoption–Florida.
He signed up for the Florida Adoption Reunion Registry, which connects adoptees with birth families who are looking for them.
After failing to find a match on the FARR, Schauble requested that a Florida judge unseal the birth records from his closed adoption.
The judge approved his request, and when Schauble received the name and number of his birth mother, the story of birth began to unfold.
It took him an hour to work up the courage to call Virginia Robinson, Schauble said, but when he did, he discovered that she had prayed to hear his voice before she died.
He learned how his mother, an Italian American from Connecticut and his father, an African American from Florida had met in the late 1960s, during a time when interracial relationships were still taboo.
After Virginia Robinson became pregnant, she told J.C. Robinson that she didn’t think he was fit to be a father. The two split up, only to marry two years later. By then, Schauble had already been put up for adoption.
Before flying to Texas to meet his mother, Schauble returned to Florida, where his father’s side of the family still lives. There, he met his brother J.C. Robinson, Jr. and visited his father’s grave.
A few days later he was flying to New Braunfels, Texas to meet Virginia Robinson, an emotional day for everyone involved.
“For me, finding my birth mother was like a weight being lifted off my soul,” Schauble said. “I didn’t even really realize it was that heavy… I thought I was the one getting some form of closure and answers and things of that nature, when really it was both of us.”
What is Schauble’s advice to other adoptees who have questions about their origins? He said people should try to find out where they come from if they are interested but that no one should let it consume them.
“I prepared myself to fail,” he said. “I was prepared to hit brick walls and be ok with it.”
He knew ahead of time that his six-month search might not end in a happy reunion, but he also said that he learned things about his past he never expected, like the fact that his mother had three children from a previous marriage and was 38 when she gave birth to him.
“I had always thought my mom was a distressed teenager,” he said.
It was amazing to learn the kind of people that his birth parents were, he said, and who he might have been if he had been raised by them.
“Don’t be afraid to take that journey even if there’s that possibility it could end in a negative fashion,” Schauble said. “You never know. It could also be amazingly positive.”
For Chris Schauble’s full story, view the series of videos that aired on KTLA.
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37 Comments
Very similar to how my life went and why I looked for my birth mom.
This was a beautiful story of one of my favorite 5:00 am KTLA Newscasters. I’m 60, while I’m not adopted I needed to see my birth father whom I heard about for years.
I met my birth dad at 18 or 19 years old but always heard about him. I needed to know who he was but more importantly, I needed to know my birth dad. I too needed to know my medical history. I discovered the knee problems. And also had a knee replacement. However, do not expect the half brothers and sisters to always welcome you with open arms.
I know about Stevenson’s Ranch.
Loved hearing your story Chris!
Loved his story… So glad he shared
thanks for sharing Chris sharing your life, and journey with us…
I’m so glad for you Chris!!!
So happy for you… SCV resident in an interracial marriage for 22 years and 3 kids (all teens)
Cool story. I didn’t know he lived in Stevenson Ranch. I recently found my birthfamily via DNA relative finders. I was raised in a white household and I’m half Athabascan. It’s so fabulous to know :)
His wife was my high school English teacher!
So glad for Chris and his happy reunions.
Unfortunately they aren’t always that way…
Congrats
Congrats
So Happy for you Chris, I’m sure this was your birth moms best Mother’s Day ever. Seems like you have now 2 Great moms, 1 who gave you life and loved you enough to give you a better life, and 1 that loved you enough she gave you the life to raise you as a great man.
So Happy for you Chris, I’m sure this was your birth moms best Mother’s Day ever. Seems like you have now 2 Great moms, 1 who gave you life and loved you enough to give you a better life, and 1 that loved you enough she gave you the life to raise you as a great man.
Loved watching his journey. So happy for Chris.
Loved watching his journey. So happy for Chris.
Good to see you today :) You are a blessing to the SCV!
Good to see you today :) You are a blessing to the SCV!
SCV resident and adopted child: I am so happy for you! I was adopted as well, and thankfully I have a great story! I was so lucky to be chosen to be part of an incredible family! I have the best life and I love my parents to death! They have given me a dream life! I met my birth mom in 1990. I love my birth mom and sister! however, my adoptive mom truly deserves her Mother’s Day award! I puked on her, peed on her, swore at her in my teenage years…. I made a National Birth Mothers Holiday and it’s May 18th! Cuz I would be here if not for her, and my real mom shouldn’t have to share it! They both deserve a day!
May 18th- National Birth Mothers Day!
Birth moms should be rewarded too! Cuz they are “oh, so special!”
SCV resident and adopted child: I am so happy for you! I was adopted as well, and thankfully I have a great story! I was so lucky to be chosen to be part of an incredible family! I have the best life and I love my parents to death! They have given me a dream life! I met my birth mom in 1990. I love my birth mom and sister! however, my adoptive mom truly deserves her Mother’s Day award! I puked on her, peed on her, swore at her in my teenage years…. I made a National Birth Mothers Holiday and it’s May 18th! Cuz I would be here if not for her, and my real mom shouldn’t have to share it! They both deserve a day!
May 18th- National Birth Mothers Day!
Birth moms should be rewarded too! Cuz they are “oh, so special!”
So happy for Chris!!
Awesome
We also were lucky to meet chris the Saturday after the reunion w his birth mom aired..
at our kids track meet in Svc..he took the time to hear our story regarding our 12 yr old adopted son and the fantastic questions he has been asking us about the adoption..the questions were on point and in only the cute way a 12 yr old could asked them…..
our son does watch ktla morning news and we are sure that chris and his story has helped our son open up as about his life.
Thank you chris for sharing your journey
Mister Earthquake eyeballs.
This was a wonderful reunion story watched it on tv! My mother reunited with her son years ago and still keep in touch. This story was very close to her heart.
I have been on both sides of this fence.. As being adopted myself and then in my adult years adopting my twin girls. Never met my birth mom…ITs a question I ask of myself a lot, but with both my adoptive parents passing, I have absolutely no information as to how to even start the process…
Dee Nance
I missed this story, wish I had seen it.
❤
Well done, good effort and I’m very happy for you mate. :-)
Very cool
Those smiles says it all !!!!
So happy your heart & soul are lighter! Your dad was quite the looker. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree! :}
Loved this story and Chris who took the time to share it!!
LOve it..how sweet
i knew he lived in stevenson ranch!! i was wondering why i saw him at the walmart over there one time…but i couldnt say for sure if it was him or not