In a deeply moving episode of 22 Kids and Counting, Noel Radford delved into the truths of his identity and past.
Noel was adopted mere days after being born. He confronted his origins in an episode that struck a chord with both the Radfords and viewers.
Noel Radford discovers birth name
Noel has never met his birth mother.
His quest to connect with his roots led to the startling discovery that his birth mother had named him ‘Robert’ at birth.
Noel called the revelation “weird”. “It’s something I’m not sure my birth mum would have done,” he mused.
However, the emotional journey did not stop at discovering his original name.
Encouraged by the support of his family, Noel shared how he wanted to “thank” his biological mother for the life decisions she made. He gushed that – despite everything – he has had the “best life ever”.
This was deeply personal for Noel, especially as he revisited the pain associated with the loss of his adoptive mother, Valerie, who passed away four years ago.
Noel’s wife, Sue Radford said: “When Noel lost his mum, it definitely hit him hard. I lost my dad about five months before his mum died, so that was a hard year.”
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The episode also explored a health scare within the Radford family.
When their daughter Ellie was suspected to have Gilbert’s Syndrome, Noel pursued DNA testing, which confirmed he was a carrier.
The results also revealed that he was 97.2% British and Irish.
Trying to maintain composure, Noel admitted: “I don’t really like talking about my adoption. I don’t know why I don’t like talking about it, it’s just weird. I just don’t like it.”
The tension is set to continue as viewers eagerly await Noel’s decision on whether to finally meet his birth mother.
Their meeting is teased in the preview for next week’s episode, with Noel saying: “I’m nervous about hearing something I don’t want to hear.”
Amidst these revelations, the episode captured lighter scenes during a family trip to Florida – where a marriage proposal almost went wrong.
Millie Radford’s boyfriend, Harley, faced a slight mishap when he momentarily lost the engagement ring.
Caught on camera by Noel, Harley panicked: “Oh no! Where’s it gone? Where’s it gone?”
Fortunately, the crisis was short-lived. Harley found the ring and slipped it onto Millie’s finger.
22 Kids and Counting airs at 8pm on Sundays on Channel 5.
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