Paralympian Ellie Simmonds recently made a surprising revelation that she was adopted as a baby. The 28-year-old has always been open about her life but had never disclosed her adoption status until now. Last year, she decided to embark on a journey to find her birth family after discovering that she had been put up for adoption as a newborn.
Ellie, who has achondroplasia (dwarfism), was heartbroken to learn that her birth mother initially wished she had died at birth due to concerns about how society would treat her. Despite this, Ellie remained determined to connect with her birth family. She shared that she had an emotional first meeting with her birth mother that lasted for five hours, and they continue to maintain contact and work on rebuilding their relationship.
In a recent ITV documentary, Ellie shared her thoughts on the impact of learning about her adoption, saying, “Until now, it’s never emotionally affected me, it never made me feel rejected or ask why do my birth parents not want me. I’ve been so focused on the future and never thought about it.”
Ellie has always regarded her adoptive parents, Val and Steve, as her biggest supporters. However, she had never revealed that they adopted her. Through the assistance of a specialist social worker, Ellie was able to access her hospital records, and she discovered distressing medical notes that had been made about her at birth. The medical information given to her birth mother stated that children with dwarfism would face ridicule and be seen as “evil” and “stupid.” Ellie expressed her understanding of her birth mother’s initial reaction, given the lack of knowledge about the disability.
Despite feeling disheartened by the medical notes, Ellie chose to continue her search and eventually found her birth mother, who happened to live nearby. Before meeting in person, they exchanged letters, and Ellie was deeply moved by her birth mother’s note. In it, she expressed her guilt and self-hatred for not feeling strong enough to cope with raising her. The note also expressed the happiness felt in knowing that Ellie was provided with a loving environment and had achieved so much.
The emotional meeting that followed left Ellie feeling more complete. She described the experience as amazing, with both her and her birth mother sharing the same sense of humor. Seeing her birth mother’s face, Ellie felt a strong connection as she realized how similar they looked. She was grateful to learn that her birth mother thinks about her every day and still considers her as her daughter. This reunion has provided Ellie with a deeper understanding of herself and her origins.
In addition to exploring her personal history, Ellie aims to shed light on the high number of disabled children in the care system. Around 40% of children in the care system in England and Wales have a registered disability, significantly higher than the 8% average for the rest of the population. Through her documentary, Ellie will spend time with families who have adopted disabled children and learn about the experiences of those who felt they couldn’t raise a child with a disability. She hopes to challenge societal stigmas and raise awareness about adoption and disability.
Apart from her personal journey, Ellie has had a successful career as a swimmer. She fell in love with swimming at the age of five and started training intensively from the age of eight. Her talent and dedication led her to break world records and represent her country in the Paralympics. She has a supportive partner, Matt, who also has achondroplasia, and they both hope to start a family in the future.
Overall, Ellie Simmonds’ revelation about her adoption and her subsequent reunion with her birth mother has added depth to her personal journey. Through her documentary and advocacy, she seeks to challenge societal barriers and promote understanding and acceptance of adoption and disability.
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