Dominique Moceanu's Secret Sister
Four years ago, Olympic gymnastic medalist, Dominique Moceanu discovered she had a sister. Her parent's had never told her that they had given up her sister for adoption when she was born with no legs. The parents wanted an athlete and Jen Bricker, Dominique's sister did not fit into those plans. It turns out though that despite being born without legs that Jen excelled in lots of sports. During the Atlanta Olympics, Jen's adoptive parents figured out who Jen's real parents were but waited several years to tell her. Jen waited even longer before writing Dominique. Dominique had never been close to her parents at all, but this was the final straw. Dominique's mom blamed it all on the dad who she said ran the house with an iron fist. Apparently since meeting four years ago, the two sisters are very close and spend a lot of time together
36 comments:
that's a beautiful turnout
The most confusing part of this story is that the baby was born when Dominique was 6 years old. How did she not recall her mother was pregnant when she as in kindergarten or 1st grade?
Holy $#!&!
That has to be one of the most evil things I've read in a while.
Not the conclusion, obviously, just the set-up.
I could see giving up a disabled child if poor and unable to afford her special needs, but just because they were trying to breed an athlete...
I watched this and the real twist of the story was Jen was given to loving parents who took great care of her and made her the person she is today full of self confidence.
Dominique was raised in a loveless home and had to sue her father for stealing her money. He died a few years ago to cancer. The mother who wasn't on the show just dumped all the blame on the dad. What a cop out. Like Evil said they were only breeding for Olympic athletes.
@whocares - I could see her parents not telling her - some people just aren't good parent material. Maybe her mom is tiny like her? Who knows?
They look so alike, I'm not sure who's who - Dominique on the right?
I'm going to add, as a parent I can't imagine subjecting my kids to the intense, all-consuming training required to produce a world-class athlete. Hubby and I were just discussing this yesterday, whilst having a few cold ones watching our boys play grabass in the pool like normal kids.
I really pity kids who don't have a childhood. Hope these girls have many, many years to make up for lost time.
I'm so happy that Jen was given to parents who loved and nurtured her, and equally as happy that the two sisters have found each other.
As for Dominique's parents, I would call them both vile, shallow, people.
Great story. I needed that to wash the thought of Madonna's grannie breasts from my mind. Keep those happy ones coming too.
@Frufra - Was just discussing the same thing, after watching a video of a man whipping his boy while playing catch. *shudders* Two of my step-brothers played pro baseball. My ex-husband played pro football. They are raised... in a manner that I wouldn't want to raise my own in. Did NOT care for the interaction between the ex and the Short One after we married. At all.
This is a cool story with a happy ending!
Wow, that is quite the story!
I am so glad they met and are close now.
Sounds like Jen got the better deal.
@Em - just the thought of the video you mentioned kind of makes me want to cry :-(. People are nuts!
The affluent little Pleasantville - type place we live in now is pretty obsessed with club sports. I'm talking out of state, overnight travel to play sports starting in elementary school. It's totally out of control. Even my ten year old said the other day, with regards to his friend who plays club hockey and club baseball, " X really needs to get some other interests besides sports".
It's done 90% of the time to meet some need the parents have, whether it's playing out their dreams for themselves, or functioning as their social life. Given the choice, I don't think most kids are down for that type of intensity about sports. And what percentage of athletes make the big time? Maybe 1%? Or less?
Not tell her? It's hard to miss a 9 month pregnant woman under 5feet tall usually. If they didn't tell her I just would have figured that she would have mentioned that she was told her mother was just getting fat, which again would have not made sense with her controlling husband so controlling of Dominique he micromanaged her diet (he would force her to lose weight and have extra workouts at night).
There are so many tough exams out there to attend school programs, work in certain professions and obtain various certifications. But for the most important job of them all - being a parent - no test, no exam. Any fucked up individual can do it. So sad.
I think she was at the gym every waking minute...
I think she was at the gym every waking minute...
just goes to show that some things are meant to be.
I was living in the Houston area at the time she slipped out of her parents home and ran away. Can't remember how old she was, it was after the Atlanta Olympics. With the help of others she managed to rebuild and live a "normal" life. It was big news and the huge sports gym her father owned went bankrupt.
I'm assuming a DNA test has been done to be sure? I'm glad they have a bond between them.
She does have a normal life now. She is married to a doctor, I think they have a couple kids and she coaches gymnastics at a local school.
That's Dominique on the left, and Jen on the right. As for not knowing what happened when she was 6, I'm guessing her parents may have told her that the baby died--you wouldn't question it if you were that age and you never saw the baby. I'm glad they're together now, and yes, Jen's family sound like wonderful people.
First I read this and thought, okay.. despicable, but okay so they justify giving up the baby because they wanted an athlete... I assumed it meant the sister was older than Dominique. Then to find out she's younger? The logic doesn't make sense. They wanted an athlete, they got one in Dominique... so to say they gave up the other just because it didn't fit into their plans is a cop out and seems like a lie.
Also, to all those who don't understand how Dominique couldn't have known? Pretty simple. First of all, how much do you even remember from when you were six? Second, do you actually think that when you were six you were absolutely aware of everything going on in your house? Think about how much you actually aren't aware of what happened in your house. Also, as others have said, Dominique spent a lot of time in the gym. Considering that her mom is tiny, it actually isn't a stretch to say that the pregnancy might not have been that noticeable.
@Robin, I understand that, but then she would have known that at some point she had a sibling....SHE NEVER KNEW
Why all the doubts cast on the recollections of something that happened when someone was six? I remember a lot from that age, but my son doesn't. He's not blocking anything out, he just doesn't remember. Some people do, others don't. It's a weird thing for some people to be so focused on, really.
I don't remember my mom being pregnant with my brother...yet here he is.
Had he died or been given up and I wasn't told would I think about it/remember it 20 Plus years later? Probably not.
Jen was lucky she was raised by a nurturing, loving family. I am happy for the two of them. Such a nice ending to such a sad story.
A few additional points...
If you're six years old and your parents don't tell you your mother is pregnant, you wouldn't necessarily ever know. It's clear (from the interview) that Moceanu's parents knew beforehand they were not keeping the baby so why would they ever mention it to Dominique? In fact, they probably went out of their way to hide it from everyone.
Second, we also don't know if Moceanu's mother was even around in the final months of her pregnancy or if they shipped Dominique off somewhere for awhile. This isn't the first time a parent has kept a pregnancy and subsequent adoption from their child. It happened to Oprah and I believe she was a few years older than Dominique when her mother was pregnant and gave the baby up.
Um, I was six when my mom was pregnant with my brother, and I sure as heck remember it. I remember her getting big and being sick, etc. I think it's a pretty big thing to miss. She must have been a pretty unobservant kid.
I can't believe some of you seem to be criticizing and blaming Dominique for not realizing her mother was pregnant. 1. Dominique seems to have grown up in a household where she was not allowed to ask questions. 2. The mother's pregnancy was not typical since Jen was born without legs - she would not be the same size in the womb as a baby with legs. 3. Adults with traumatic childhoods tend to block the past rather than hold onto memories of dad yelling at them for not being perfect enough.
Don't know the whole timeline, but isn't it possible Dominique was already training/living with Bela Karolyi when she was 6?
I read in another article that Dominique's parents told her that they gave the baby up because they didn't have the money to care for a disabled child. But, they could afford to pay for all of her gymnastics, that ain't cheap.
You guys are missing something. They gave this one away and then 2 years later had a 3rd child who had legs they kept. That sister, Christina, looks EXACTLY like Jenn Bricker.
Is the sister called Stumpy?
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