Andrew Pierce pays touching tribute to his mum Betty as he reflects on finding his birth mum: 'Made me the person I am today'
Andrew Pierce paid tribute to his mum Betty, who adopted him when he was three
ANDREW PIERCE
Andrew Pierce has paid a heartfelt tribute to his mum, who adopted him when he was three years old.
Reflecting on meeting his birth mum, Margaret, Andrew said he would always be grateful to her for "having the courage" to put him up for adoption, as it led him to his mum, Betty.
Writing for GBN membership, Andrew explained he hadn't told his adoptive mum about his search for his birth mum.
He wrote: "I never told Betty who adopted me when I was three. But if I had told Mum, I would have made one thing crystal clear.
"I will always be grateful to Margaret for having the courage to give me up for adoption.
"Without her selfless generosity, I would never have been placed with my adopted mum who loved me to bits and made me the person I am today."
Andrew Pierce and his birth mother Margaret had their first photograph together in her care home ANDREW PIERCEAndrew lived in an orphanage for nearly three years before he was adopted by his mum, Betty, at the age of three.
Decades later, in his forties, Andrew decided to try to track down his birth mum.
He's written about the moving story in his memoir Finding Margaret: Solving the mystery of my birth mother.
The broadcaster and journalist explained finding his mum did not have "a conventional happy ending" that he had hoped for but doesn't regret it.
READ IN FULL: Andrew Pierce - 'I never imagined that my birth mum was my neighbour. Did I unknowingly walk past her?''
Reflecting on finding his birth mum, Andrew said: "It was a roller coaster journey which did not have a conventional happy ending that I had hoped for.
"Margaret never answered the questions she must have known that I would ask. But I have no regrets. It was the right thing to do. I saw her. I know what she looks like."
Andrew shared that when he did meet his birth mum, she was pleased to know he was happy.
WATCH: Andrew and Bev in revealing chat as he tells us why he wanted to find his birth mother
Andrew Pierce is pictured at Margaret’s house in County Mayo, Ireland
ANDREW PIERCEHe said: "She told me when we met I had ‘made her life’ as she was relieved to know I was happy.
"My original objective was for her to know that the son she gave away was happy and well-balanced.
"I was also delighted to discover that she had indeed had a happy life with four children of her own in a long and happy marriage."