Man given up for adoption reunites birth parents, officiates their wedding

A few decades ago, Michele Newman and Dave Lindgren gave a son up for adoption after dating while in high school. A few weeks ago, after falling out of touch and living separate lives for more than 30 years, the two married — with their biological son officiating.

The touching story, reported by The New York Times on Friday, would have never happened if it weren't for their son, Martin Schmidt, deciding to finally reach out to his biological parents 35 years after he was adopted. Schmidt got in touch with Newman first, and the two formed an immediate "emotional bond." Newman hadn't spoken to Lindgren since her pregnancy, but she thought her newfound relationship with her biological son merited a message to her former high school sweetheart.

Lindgren, too, got to know his biological son — and continued speaking to Newman on a daily basis. As the relationship progressed, their son could tell there was "definitely something happening," and his role in their reunion eventually became that of wedding officiant.

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"I never thought in a million years this would happen," said Lindgren of their rekindled romance. Schmidt stood between his biological parents at their wedding, just four years after meeting them. "For those of you who haven't met me, I'm Martin Schmidt. I'm their son," he told wedding guests. “And related or not, this is the group of people we call family."