Jan 30, 2023
In this week’s Unraveling Adoption podcast, Beth talks with Paul “Jack” Fronczak, a military veteran, musician, published author, executive producer, and former actor, who now works for a non-profit organization devoted to changing lives. An avid bass guitarist and motorcyclist, Paul now lives in Las Vegas, and has a teenage daughter he calls "the greatest kid in the world." Eleven years ago, Paul took a test that disproved the story he'd been told about his identity—that he was "Baby Fronczak," the infant who'd been kidnapped from a Chicago hospital in an infamous 1964 crime. In an instant, he became a man without a name, birthday, or medical history—an "unidentified living person," in official terminology. Paul has spent the last ten years searching for answers—and looking for the real Paul Fronczak.
Jack’s story is about identity - or lack thereof. I bet most people struggle with questions of identity - Who am I? What makes me me? What traits of my ancestors are carried on with me? Adoptees, Donor-conceived people, and Not Parent Expected individuals struggle with identity quite a bit more. And Jack’s identity is the biggest mystery I could think of. In this conversation with Jack, we talk about how his lack of identity has affected him, so we can learn how better to take care of our other-than-biological children in our community.
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RESOURCES:
Paul “Jack” Fronczak’s information:
Other resources mentioned in this episode:
Other Resources:
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Unraveling Adoption is produced and hosted by Beth Syverson
Music written and performed by Joseph Nakao
Email questions or comments to Beth@UnravelingAdoption.com
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TIME STAMPS:
2:39 Jack’s continuously unraveling life - Cliff’s Notes version of Jack’s life
5:35 Did Jack find
the “real Paul?”
7:30 Jack always
played a part. No wonder he became an actor! Discovering the
kidnapping story
11:35 Did Jack feel like an adoptee growing up?
13:25 The student nurse who helped Jack’s mom after the kidnapping
14:34 Jack’s infancy with his twin Jill
17:20 Jack’s relationship to his [adoptive] parents, foster family, and first family. 2 out of 3 ain’t bad??
20:30 Jack’s lifelong effects of early chaos and abandonment by his first family
23:50 What is it like being an “unidentified living person?”
26:49 What adoptive parents and allies can do to help adoptees and other “unidentified living person”s
32:20 Jack’s ongoing mysteries make for an interesting life, and we’re all discovering who we really are