Before her departure on the Holt Heritage Tour to Korea, Holt adoptee Krista Gause wrote an honest and heartfelt letter to her birth mother — sharing about her life and grieving the fact that it is too late for them to meet. 

Dear Mother,

My name is Krista, and I’m your daughter.

The adoption agency, Holt International, suggested that I write you a letter. I told them that I didn’t know what to say and they advised me to tell you about my life, explain my intentions, let you know that I’m okay and that I’m looking for you.

You last saw me on February 19, 1988, in Seoul, South Korea. You spent one day with me before you said goodbye. What you don’t know is that I was in foster care once you left, and my foster mother, Mrs. Na, took good care of me. I was underweight and my crying was “vigorous.” But Mrs. Na and her family took such good care of me that after a few months I left their home and boarded a Korean Air flight to the United States. On June 8, 1988, four months after you said goodbye, I met my family. We met and fell in love at JFK Airport and every year we celebrate this day, my Airplane Day.