"Redefining What Adoption Looks Like": Man Opens Up About Running Away From Adoptive Parents

• Kelvin Johnson’s story offers a raw look at growing up adopted, navigating identity, rebellion and the deep bond formed by being chosen from birth
• His experience challenges common assumptions about adoption, showing how honesty, love and support can shape a child’s sense of belonging
• The moment he ran away became a turning point, helping him reflect on family, faith and the life he was given

From a hospital room choice to running away with nowhere to go, one man’s adoption journey reshapes how South Africans see chosen family.

A South African man, Kelvin Johnson, has shared a deeply personal story about adoption, identity and belonging in a video posted by Briefly TV Life on 19 December 2025. In the clip, Johnson explains that he was adopted as a baby, even before leaving the hospital, after his adoptive parents chose him from a room filled with about 20 other babies. He shared that his parents made a point of telling him his adoption story every year on his birthday, shaping how he understood his life from a young age. While he always knew he was adopted and never felt shame about it, moments growing up when he questioned why his life unfolded the way it did and why he had to be given up.

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Johnson recalled a powerful moment his father often shared, describing how his parents walked into the theatre room, went straight to the corner where he lay, and locked eyes with him as a baby. His father told him that his heartbeat became one with his in that moment, lifting him up like a Lion King Simba moment, saying it felt special and intentional. His dad later shared that all he wanted was to give him a normal life. Despite that foundation, Johnson admitted that as he grew older, he became a rebellious teenager who often got into trouble, locked teachers out of classrooms, and felt disconnected, as if the life he was living did not feel like his own.

Growing up chosen, not abandoned

Things came to a head when Johnson was in Grade 10 or 11, a time when he felt overwhelmed and lost. He told @Briefly TV Life that he wrote a letter to his adoptive parents telling them he would no longer be their child, even though he had no idea where he would go. He left home and sat alone in a park until his father eventually found him. Johnson shared that it was later in his life, after getting to know Jesus, that things began to shift, helping him find direction and grounding. Through it all, he said adoption was never something he saw as negative, and knowing he was chosen made him feel special rather than unwanted.

Johnson also addressed common stereotypes around adoption, explaining that people often respond with pity, assuming adoption is sad. He shared that he has never gone through the process of finding his biological parents, saying he does not know how his life might have turned out, but remains grateful for the parents who raised him. Now a father himself, he often calls his adoptive parents to babysit or help, showing how strong their bond remains. His story resonated with many as it reframed adoption not as loss, but as choice, love and continuity.

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What did Mzansi say?

Rinjereh1404 said:

“There are still good people in this world. He was brought up well by his parents.”

Siphamandlamkhize9766 said:

“Amazing story, you are a good person. Your parents, who adopted you, raised you well.”

Thembekilephoko3513 said:

“God bless your parents.”

Naimayah-7th said:

“Very touching story. ‘All things work for good…’”

Fionaestherfortuin4185 said:

“His heartbeat, oh man… I couldn’t listen, I just started crying. I started again.”

Maggiemasai1506 said:

“Such an amazing adoption story.”

Check out the YouTube video below:

3 Other Briefly News stories related to adoption

• A celebrated radio presenter shared her personal life story, which began with a profound and devastating family secret of adoption.
• Danielle Steynvaardt, a South African mother and content creator, proudly showed how she and her adopted daughter Zinzi started their day.
• An Ethiopian woman separated from her mother for 15 years through an adoption scam was finally reunited after being sold and shipped off to America.

Source: Briefly News