Adoption success stories

This is a growing list of adopted people who made an enormous contribution to society:

• Pope Alexander VI - Spanish Pope, 1492-1503 ^[1]
• Johann Sebastian Bach - German musician and composer ^[2]
• Alexander Hamilton - one of the Founding Fathers and the first Secretary of the Treasury ^[3]
• Scott Hamilton - Figure skater, Olympic medal winner ^[4]
• Colin Kaepernick - adopted at only five weeks old by a new parents whose genetic defect prevented them from having healthy children, Kaepernick became a phenomenal quarterback in the NFL, leading the San Francisco 49ers to two consecutive NFC title games.^[5]
• Andrew Jackson - 7th President of the United States of America.^[6] Jackson's father was killed in a logging accident a few weeks before Jackson was born. His mother died when Jackson was fourteen; he lived with relatives for a year and a half after her death.^[7]
• Steve Jobs - founder of Apple Computers^[8]
• Jacqueline Kasun - great conservative and founder of Humboldt Pro-Life. Kasun "spent most of her childhood with her father’s parents", and moved back in with her father as a college student.^[9]
• James Michener - perhaps the most popular writer of historical novels in history, was adopted by a Quaker widow
• Thomas Monaghan - founder of Domino's Pizza and Ave Maria University^[10]
• Michael Reagan - adoptive son of President Ronald Reagan,^[11]
• Babe Ruth - first adopted and raised for years by a Catholic orphanage, and then (when he 19) by a baseball scout.^[12]
• Michael Steele - Chairman of the Republican National Committee. Steele was born at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland and adopted as an infant.^[13]
• Dave Thomas - founder of Wendy's
• Michael Oher - 2009 first round draft choice by the NFL Baltimore Ravens^[14] who was the subject of the Academy Award winning semi-biographical film The Blind Side.
• Faith Hill - famous country singer.^[15] Her husband had also been adopted as a child.
• Augustus Caesar - first Roman emperor, adopted by Julius Caesar.
• Hines Ward - NFL wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers and MVP of Super Bowl XL.^[16]

• George Orwell adopted a baby and raised him after his wife unexpectedly passed away, and this may have increased Orwell's growth as a conservative.
• Ronald Reagan (and his first wife Jane Wyman) adopted Michael Reagan, who became conservative.
• Bubba Watson, surprise winner of the 2012 and 2014 Masters.

• Moses -prophet, legislator, judge, and leader of the Israelites ^[17]
• Jesus - adopted by Joseph of Nazareth