Sun, May 11, 2025

To: Our thousands of supporters throughout the state
(cc’d to the media, house & senate members, and Governor, and other candidates for office)

From: Tim Eyman
Fighting for Taxpayers for 26 years

I was honored to be the keynote speaker at the Jefferson County Lincoln Day luncheon. 

During my talk, I briefly touched on my adoption background.

Given that today is Mother’s Day, I wanted to tell you about my 2 moms.

As many of you know, I have family tradition of adoption:

* My dad (Don) was adopted.

* I’m adopted.

* Jackson, Riley, and Jeremy are adopted. 

I was born and raised in Yakima and adopted as a baby.

My mom Dolores — she was a talker and had this extraordinary amount of natural energy.

I got that from her.

All my life, my mom and dad told me I was adopted and said it was “cool” to be adopted.

So there was no stigma to it, they made it into something special, something to almost brag about.

“It’s cool to be adopted because you were chosen … there’s no such thing as an ‘accidental adoption’.”

They also encouraged me to track down my birth parents.

They were never threatened by the prospect of “sharing me” — they wanted my birth parents to know that I was OK, that I wasn’t beaten and battered, and that I grew up loved and cared for.

And yes, as parents, they were proud of their son and wanted my birth parents to know that.

So in my mid-20’s, I set out to find them.

Back then, birth records were closed so I had to hire an attorney to get them opened.

Once opened, I learned very little information was actually in there. The only thing I learned was their first names and that they had graduated from major universities.

With that small amount of info, I sleuthed for the next 6 months (looking at old school albums and doing all sorts of crazy things) and eventually figured out who they were and where they lived.

I knew how uncomfortable it would be for them if I just called ’em up and said “Hi, I’m your kid.”

So I had a friend of the family make contact to tell them that their birth son was interested in speaking with them and asked if they’d be interested in speaking with me.

They both said yes.

And so, for the next 30+ years, I have developed a very positive relationship with both of them (both are still alive).

But there was something about that whole experience that I wanted to share with everyone, especially today since it’s Mother’s Day.

It was the first face-to-face get together with my birth mother.

We met at a Thai restaurant in Seattle on Capitol Hill. 

Within a few minutes of sitting down at the table, she asked me straight out: “Are you angry with me?”

I was taken aback by her boldness and the fact she got right to it. And looking back, I realize now she must’ve wondered about that for over two decades.

I responded: “Absolutely not, I was raised by great parents and turned out OK. It’s the bravest thing I could ever imagine doing.”

She answered: “It didn’t feel brave at the time.”

More about that in a second.

It turns out that she and my birth father had graduated with political science degrees (so it’s clear that politics is in my blood).

After graduating from the University of Washington and Berkeley in 1964, they wanted to make a difference in the world so they joined President Kennedy’s newly formed Peace Corps.

They were training in Hilo Hawaii for their mission to Thailand.

They had “an encounter” and I was the result.

Because of that, she left Hilo, flew to Yakima and stayed there while she arranged to have me put up for adoption through the Catholic Family Services.

Immediately after being born, I was whisked away and she was never given the chance to see me. Back then, they thought it was more “merciful” to the mother for her to not be “burdened” by seeing the newly born child (barbaric).

She asked the doctor and nurses over and over again “tell me something.”

Finally, one of them said only “it’s a boy and he’s healthy.” 

That’s it.

Just imagine what that must’ve been like for her — having spent 9 months carrying me and then having me taken away without even the chance to see me. 

Absolutely brutal.  

Now imagine 20+ years later your birth son asks to meet you.

What a challenge that was … what strength it must’ve taken for her to say “yes, I’ll see him.”

And so when we met, she asked me that question: “Are you angry with me?”

Let me answer her question the way I would today:

“Of course not, if you had made a different choice, I wouldn’t be here. I never would’ve had a great childhood with parents who loved me and a brother and sister. Never would’ve gone to college. Never would’ve wrestled. Never would’ve met Karen. Never would’ve adopted Jackson, Jeremy, and Riley. Never would’ve had the chance to become a political activist and do what I was born to do.”

None of that would’ve happened if she hadn’t allowed me to live, put me up for adoption, and allowed me the opportunity to grow up in Yakima with my family who loved me.

So to every mother out there I say this: thank you for your bravery and your sacrifice and for giving your children the chance to live.

Have a great Mother’s Day.

I love you all.

Onward!

Tim Eyman

You can call or text me anytime: 509-991-5295

You can email me anytime here: Tim@TimDefense.com

For more details on this, go to: TimDefense.com