Little Thumb of America

Finding My Birth Mother in El Salvador

By: Salvador Briggman

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

This is an adoption story like no other. It's already gotten more than 200,000 views on YouTube and been shared around the world. Now, you're going to get the complete un-told story of how I found my birth mother in El Salvador.

I was adopted from El Salvador at age 1 and grew up my entire life in Massachusetts. One day, after a series of events, I decided to book a trip to the country and try to find my birth mother.

All I had was a photo of her. That's it. None of the contact information I had was working. The phone number I had for lawyer who did the adoption wouldn't work. Ultimately, I only had one option.

I set out to visit the town where she "supposedly" lived 25 years ago. My mission was to print out a bunch of photos, hand them out, and hope that someone knew her.

I had no idea what to expect, but I could NEVER predict what happened next. Not only did I find my birth mother, but I also discovered that I have a brother and two sisters. What's more, my brother had been searching for me his entire life.

What You'll Witness...

This story takes you behind-the-scenes of my popular YouTube video. You'll join me on the search for my birth mother.

Along with deep personal disclosures about my life growing up as an adopted only-child, you will also witness an authentic transformation.

On the outset, I was guarded, skeptical, and angry when it came to issues surrounding my trip. I was afraid of gang violence and crime in the country of El Salvador.

You will see how my feelings slowly change and why I held them in the first place.

This book is an exploration of culture, identity, and adoption. It dives deep into the connection between a mother and a child, along with what it means to be human.

Out of Touch

The book was a frustrating read. The author comes across as oddly naïve and unexpectedly pompous, spending much of the time bragging about minor accomplishments instead of offering any real insight into adoption. As an adopted person, I found nearly nothing that reflected the actual issues adoptees face; instead, 95% of the narrative drifts into an out-of-touch travelogue about his trip to El Salvador. By the time I reached the ending—flat, disappointing, and disconnected from anything meaningful—I was left wondering why this was marketed as an adoption memoir at all.