On the subject of Michael Reagan (Adoption)

[PamOKW]

I found this, it's the statement from Jane Wyman

"America has lost a great president and a great, kind and gentle man."

This link tells a little more about their relationship.

Desert Sun Statement

While looking for this, I also stumbled upon Michael's history. He was only 3 days old when they adopted him. It's a shame that "adopted" has become his first name. Maureen was a natural child of Wyman and Reagan and there was another child who only lived one day.

 

[PamOKW]

The Reagan family tree is nothing if not complicated.

I just discovered another grandchild of President Reagan. His daughter Maureen and her husband have an adopted daughter.

Reagan is survived by Revell, her husband of 20 years; their 16-year-old adopted daughter Rita Revell, who arrived from Uganda, in 1994; her father and stepmother Nancy Reagan; her mother, Jane Wyman, two brothers and a sister.

 

[twinmomplus2new]

I for one get the referance to someone being referred to as an adopted like nails on a chalk board. It is a HUGE pet peeve of mine. Your children are yours no matter where they came from.

If it is just simply background information where was all the background on Patty Reagan? And her tell all book? that wasn't mentioned other than briefly.

I would be horrified if someone referred to my child as adopted.
Last year my cousin (34) was taking care of her mom after surgery.. In the hospitol where she happended to work and my Aunt introduced her as my adopted daughter, and her sister as my daughter. My cousin was devastated, it made her feel like she was so low on the totem pole. It's a mean thing to say in referance to biological children.

 

[Mom2Angels]

They did clap after Michael spoke, they were hesitant at first, but I think that was only cause they weren't sure if they should clap or not. I thought it was kind of strange since it was a funeral, I didn't think they should clap.

Originally posted by Cruise04
Because I didn't read the papers I didn't notice this but I noticed how "left out" he appeared with everything. Nancy didn't turn to him for console and neither did his "sister and brother". I felt very bad for him. Even at the sunset service, everyone clapped after Patti and Ron's words but not for Michael's.

 

[Lanshark]

I noticed the word adopted was always used when referring to him but I also noticed that he referred to himself in those terms too. He brought up the fact that he was adopted several times.

 

[marymrg]

I was also bothered by the "adopted" qualifier being used over and over again. I also think Michael took a back seat when consoling Nancy but she wasn't his mother so it is understandable. In recent months, when I saw him being interviewed, he would mention to pray for Nancy. I imagine that when they all learned of President Reagan's illness, that they all had to come to terms with their relationship to their father and to each other.

Was Maureen's daughter at the funeral?

 

[missypie]

Now that you're sensitive to this issue, I think you will notice it again and again in press references to celebrities. If you read about such folks in the paper, magazines, etc., the press always seems to point out the adopted kids. I think that maybe it has long roots...just think how important it was back in the days of kings and queens that their child be a blood relative, rather than adopted. I think that over the ages, the press has made a big deal of this with respect to "important" people. I can't imagine the obit of any "ordinary" person mentioning that the deceased person was survived by an "adopted" child. They mention these things because they think we care...I don't know how we can get it onto their heads that it's not relevant in most contexts.

As for Michael, I loved his eulogy (probably because I'm a Christian). I think it's taken a lot over the years for him to develop a relationship with Nancy, but he's probably done just about as good a job as anyone could have. It was pretty heartbreaking hearing Michael talk about sitting on the curb on a Saturday, waiting for his dad to pick him and take him to the ranch for the weekend. He was relaying it as a good memory, but it must have been quite sad to be replaced by another family.