Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Upworthy to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

In an astonishing twist of fate, a Chicago man’s lifelong quest to uncover his roots led him not across the country but to a neighborhood bakery. Vamarr Hunter, 50, spent 15 years searching for his biological parents, only to learn his mother had been baking his favorite sweets just blocks away.

Image Source: TikTok | @nbcchicago

Footage shared by NBC (@nbcchicago on TikTok) captures the emotional moment Hunter embraced Lenore Lindsay, owner of the “Give Me Some Sugah” bakery. A decade before their reunion, Hunter became a regular at her shop, drawn to its lemon bars and chocolate chip cookies. Unbeknownst to him, Lindsay—the woman he chatted with weekly—was his birth mother.

Image Source: TikTok | @nbcchicago

Lindsay, now 67, had placed her son for adoption as a teenager. Hunter, who always sensed he was adopted, turned to a genetic genealogist for answers. The DNA results led him to Lindsay, who later called him from a number he recognized instantly: her bakery’s. “I had the bakery’s number saved in my phone,” Hunter recalled. “When they called, I thought, ‘Why don’t I give myself some sugar? I didn’t order any. So what is this?’**

Image Source: TikTok | @nbcchicago

During the call, Lindsay tearfully revealed their relationship. “She started screaming, telling me she was my mom,” Hunter said. The revelation left him in tears, marveling at the irony of their years of casual interactions. Lindsay explained her choice to leave the adoption open, saying, “I assumed his life must be going well, and I wouldn’t want to interfere.”


Giphy


Now semi-retired, Lindsay has handed the bakery’s reins to Hunter, who calls the reunion a balm for years of “rough Mother’s Days.” Reflecting on their journey, Lindsay said, “I love my son. And the fact that I have him now in these later years is just because of God. Wow! God is love.”


Image Source: Tiktok | @smilingjoce

mage Source: Tiktok | @tiktok

Their story, shared in a 2.5-minute TikTok video, has resonated deeply, amassing 2.2 million views. Commenters like @joeyfrickinb praised Lindsay’s sacrifice: “She did what was right for her baby… He got her back.” Another user, @ethbayearley, shared a parallel adoption story, calling it a testament to hope.

@nbcchicago

For years, a Chicago man visited a South Shore bakery without knowing the woman behind his favorite treats was his birth mom. A phone call from the familiar number led to tears, hugs, and a beautiful family reunion that was meant to be. #familyreunion #heartwarming #feelgood #southshore #chicago

For local updates and more on Illinois’ city life, you can follow NBC Chicago (@nbcchicago) on TikTok.

family reunionadoption storydna testchicago bakeryviral tiktokheartwarming newsfamily

The Latest

85-year-old invites neighbors to epic party—with one hilariously badass condition
Past Events

85-year-old invites neighbors to epic party—with one hilariously badass condition

Identical twins separated at birth had dramatically different IQs in Korea and US
Culture

Identical twins separated at birth had dramatically different IQs in Korea and US

His old boss wouldn’t stop texting him. So he charged them for every reply.
Past Events

His old boss wouldn’t stop texting him. So he charged them for every reply.

Grieving daughter gets epic revenge on debt collectors who demanded to speak to her dead dad
Past Events

Grieving daughter gets epic revenge on debt collectors who demanded to speak to her dead dad

More For You

Couples dancing at a wedding.

Representative Image: Her siblings saved her wedding with their heartfelt gesture.

Canva

Bride’s siblings gave her an unforgettable gift after their parents refused to show up to wedding

A wedding is meant to be a joyous occasion, a day filled with love and support from family and friends. But for many in the LGBTQIA+ community, that support isn’t always guaranteed. A study published in the Journal of Family Psychology found that 70% of LGBTQIA+ individuals experience some level of parental rejection.

Megan knew that reality all too well. When she married the love of her life, Brittany, her parents chose not to attend due to their religious beliefs. But rather than dwell on their absence, Megan’s siblings stepped up in a way that moved everyone to tears. They gave her a surprise father-daughter dance—one that she would never forget.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mom, mom and son, working mom
woman in gray sweater carrying baby in blue and white shirt
Photo by Gabe Pierce on Unsplash

Toddler's sweet messages for working mom on doorbell cam melts hearts

Doorbell cameras have captured so many iconic moments. From a UPS driver grateful for snacks left out at a home she was delivering at, to a new mom receiving heartfelt parenting advice from her mom during a visit, to an Amazon driver doing a solid for a woman looking to conceal her purchases from her husband--they do so much more than serve as a security tool.

And for first-time and working mom Hannah Bell, her doorbell camera has helped her create beautiful memories with her toddler, Landon, each morning she is away from home at the office. Bell shared with Newsweek, "I started consistently leaving for work before my son woke up in the morning, so we didn't get to see each other most mornings."

Keep ReadingShow less
Gay teen asks friend's mom permission to attend girls-only sleepover. She handled it beautifully.
media.upworthy.mattersmedia.io

Gay teen asks friend's mom permission to attend girls-only sleepover. She handled it beautifully.

For many young people, sleepovers have long been cherished occasions to bond with close friends - sharing late-night chats, snacking on treats, and revealing deep dark secrets. It's within these intimate gatherings that unbreakable connections and lifelong friendships are often forged. When Mason Brian Barclay's new best friend, Houston Shelton, invited him to a sleepover at her house, he was eager to take part in this rite of passage. However, Houston's parents had instituted a strict no-opposite-sex rule, meaning only girls were allowed.

Undaunted by the gender-based restriction, Barclay decided to directly appeal to Houston's mother, making a thoughtful case for why she should allow him to participate. "Hey, Mrs. Shelton! This is Mason Brian Barclay, I am one of Houston's new best friends. If she had people over on Friday, would I, a very homosexual male, be able to take part in the sleepover?" he asked her in a text message. "I think the common meaning behind only allowing the same sex to share sleepovers is due to the typical interest in the opposite sex when in this case, I do not like the opposite sex."

Keep ReadingShow less
man in blue long sleeve shirt carrying baby in white onesie

Dad hacks!

Photo by Natasha Ivanchikhina on Unsplash

Dad discovers hilarious new hack for calling his daughter downstairs

As every parent knows, getting your child to do the thing you want them to do can be an impossible, Sisyphean task. How can I get my child to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’—and not just utter the words, but actually mean them? What could possibly entice them to help out more around the house? Is going to bed at a reasonable hour something kids actually do, or only an urban legend?

In a Reddit form on r/Parenting, @sabinesse1054 asked a question about the difference between productivity and pleasure.

Keep ReadingShow less
A mother scolds her child in a dim room.

Parents might be setting their children up for a lifetime of issues without ever realizing it.

Canva

Psychologist warns about 'eggshell parenting'—and why its effects last a lifetime

Children thrive in environments where they feel safe, secure, and loved. But when these feelings are unpredictable, it can create lasting emotional harm. Dr. Kim Sage, a licensed psychologist from Newport, California, has popularized the term "eggshell parenting" to describe this dynamic. Through her TikTok channel (@drkimsage), she has shared hundreds of videos explaining how eggshell parenting affects children and their future relationships.

What is eggshell parenting?

Eggshell parenting occurs when a child's emotional environment is dictated by a parent's unpredictable outbursts. Dr. Sage explains that this forces children to be constantly on high alert, suppressing their natural emotions and behaviors to avoid triggering a negative reaction. "Eggshell parenting and emotionally unpredictable, unsafe parenting often creates a lifetime of hypervigilance in us and a deep belief that there’s no such thing as real safety in relationships," she says.

Keep ReadingShow less
© Copyright 2025