DAYTON -- A Dayton woman, although given up at birth, never gave up on finding her biological family. Draya Haywood will be able to spend the holidays with her biological family for the first time this year,
Draya grew up in a home with six adopted brothers and sisters.
"A lot of kids coming in and out," said Draya.
Her adopted parents brought her home at just 52 days old.
"She was about four pounds, I brought her home and fell in love with her," Madelyn Haywood said.
Draya never questioned who her real family was until she was about 16.
"I started asking my mom question's it was hard not knowing who they were," said Draya.
She found out her family's information but didn't have the courage to contact them until two weeks ago.
"She was chicken she was scared," Madelyn said.
Two weeks ago she sent a Facebook message to her sister Sundia Taylor. "We stayed on the phone for 2 hours, didn't sleep that night," Sundia said.
"I was sitting right here when she did the Facebook message and they called them on the phone, we were all sitting here crying," Madelyn added.
Within days, Draya would get to meet her brother, her sisters and her mother.
"That's my mother, can I really face her, it was kind of hard for me to see her," Draya said. "I didn't talk to her at first, I kind of just hugged her and listened as she talked. She said she never stopped thinking about me."
After some time, the two realized they had met before at the Greater Allen AME church Draya's biological mom goes to, Draya has visited this church several times in the last three years. Staring her mother in the face, but not knowing it was her.
"I had been going there and seeing her but i never knew it was her, that was a big shock," said Draya.
Another shock, Draya's boyfriend is her sister's neighbor.
"I knew her boyfriend I probably knew her but just didn't know who it was," Sundia said.
This will be the first holiday Draya will get to spend with her Biological family, but there will be many more to come.
"I think it's going to add a different dynamic to our lives and i only see it getting better," sister Jessicah Taylor said.
"I keep in contact with my sisters and brothers everyday, my mom calls me every night to ask me how work was," Draya said.
Connect with ABC 22/FOX 45 Reporter Wale Aliyu on Facebook and Twitter.
Draya grew up in a home with six adopted brothers and sisters.
"A lot of kids coming in and out," said Draya.
Her adopted parents brought her home at just 52 days old.
"She was about four pounds, I brought her home and fell in love with her," Madelyn Haywood said.
Draya never questioned who her real family was until she was about 16.
"I started asking my mom question's it was hard not knowing who they were," said Draya.
She found out her family's information but didn't have the courage to contact them until two weeks ago.
"She was chicken she was scared," Madelyn said.
Two weeks ago she sent a Facebook message to her sister Sundia Taylor. "We stayed on the phone for 2 hours, didn't sleep that night," Sundia said.
"I was sitting right here when she did the Facebook message and they called them on the phone, we were all sitting here crying," Madelyn added.
Within days, Draya would get to meet her brother, her sisters and her mother.
"That's my mother, can I really face her, it was kind of hard for me to see her," Draya said. "I didn't talk to her at first, I kind of just hugged her and listened as she talked. She said she never stopped thinking about me."
After some time, the two realized they had met before at the Greater Allen AME church Draya's biological mom goes to, Draya has visited this church several times in the last three years. Staring her mother in the face, but not knowing it was her.
"I had been going there and seeing her but i never knew it was her, that was a big shock," said Draya.
Another shock, Draya's boyfriend is her sister's neighbor.
"I knew her boyfriend I probably knew her but just didn't know who it was," Sundia said.
This will be the first holiday Draya will get to spend with her Biological family, but there will be many more to come.
"I think it's going to add a different dynamic to our lives and i only see it getting better," sister Jessicah Taylor said.
"I keep in contact with my sisters and brothers everyday, my mom calls me every night to ask me how work was," Draya said.
Connect with ABC 22/FOX 45 Reporter Wale Aliyu on Facebook and Twitter.