This page is dedicated to my two precious brothers, whom I have not seen since Nov. 19, 1977. My mother married Antonio Umberto Tortora before I was born and when I was born he adopted me as his own child. He was the only father that I knew and I adored him. Later my mother and father had two boys together, Joseph Garland (July 25 1972) and James Ray Tortora (October 23, 1973). Their marriage was very rocky and Dad spent alot of time out to sea in the US Navy. Just before my 7th birthday (November 11, 1977) my mother left and went to her father's in New York. That left me alone with my brothers and father. They had a small, quite birthday for me and then on November 19, 1977, my father took me to the babysitter's house and left me. He told the sitter that he was taking the boys to go buy my christmas gifts. I never saw them again. He had taken them out of the country and to Italy, his native country.
My heart was broken as I walked into my home the next day after the babysitter realized that he was not returning. I walked into an empty house. There was trash on the floor and a few pieces of furniture left. In the center of the room was a paper bag with a few of my things in it. I cannot tell you how I felt, I was numb and very confused. I wanted my brothers. My brothers and I were closer than normal brothers and sisters because my brothers tried to protect me from the neighborhood teenagers who were molesting me. My oldest brother would hide me when the older boys would come looking for me. It started when I was about 5 years old and went on daily.
I was passed from person to person trying to hide from HRS. My mother's mother finally came and resuced me. She took me to her home in Tennessee and she adopted me.
When I was about 9 years old, my grandmother took me to a metaphysical fair and there I was given a tarot reading. The reader told me that I had a mission in my life, that I would use my gifts to help people and I would teach people, and that I would find my brothers with something that had to do with the number 23. We were not sure if it meant 23 years, age 23 or what.
1994, I turned 23 years old. I set my mind to finding my brothers. I spent $1,200 in phone bills calling and checking leads. Finally I called the American Embassy in Naple Italy. I told them who I was looking for and on March 23, 1994, 23 years after they were taken and I was abandoned, Joseph called me. You cannot imagine how elated I was. Then on April 23, 1994, James called me. Since then, I have spoken to them several times bt I have lost contact with them again. I know that Joe is still in Italy and James was in France (Marseille). I would give anything to see them again. To hold them in my arms and tell them that I love them more than anything. They are so very precious to me and always will be no matter what. I pray to the Goddess that one day She will bring them back to me.
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