There are millions of life-altering stories all around us. Someone that you are acquainted with could have such a diverse backstory of how they came to be who they are today. You might never know what tales are in store until you ask.

Mason Shepherd has a story some might never guess. It all starts on May 21st, 2003 in Clark County Kentucky, where he was born. He grew up until the age of four with his biological family. When things became unsafe for him he was taken. A very open-hearted woman, who knew the family wanted to help young Mason so she took him in and adopted him.

Mason and his “foster parents” lived in North Middletown raising and breeding Great Danes. At around the age of six, he was told that he was adopted. His mom didn’t want him to know so soon but she had no choice because his biological family was threatening to try and take him back, so Mason needed to become aware of who they were and what to look out for. At age seven his parents were divorced and his dad split. They then moved to Lexington because their old house was flooded and his mom was a nurse and needed to be closer to work. When Mason was about to go into middle school, they moved back to North Middletown because he favored Bourbon County Schools. They then came to Paris the summer after junior year because of Mason’s job at McDonald’s. 

When asked to describe being adopted he replied, “Not really that big of a deal, not really as bad as the stigma around it is. It’s just as normal as a biological family.” Growing up adopted can be a huge factor in someone’s life success, I asked Mason if he thinks being adopted was something good that happened to him. He said, “Yes because if not, I could be like my biological family, who are not the most mentally sound people.” Some people who find out they’re adopted feel as if they need to know their biological family and that they should have a good connection with them. Mason’s connection to his biological family is “completely severed, (with) no contact, by (his) choice.” He has learned that being adopted has changed his life for the better and he is very grateful.