Mary, Michael Hess’s sister, was eventually adopted by a separate family from Michael’s adoptive parents. She grew up with her new family, and her life took a different path from her brother’s.
Michael Hess and his sister, Mary, were born to an unwed Irish mother in the 1950s and were subsequently placed for adoption. Due to the practices of the time, particularly in Ireland, children born out of wedlock were often taken from their mothers and placed in orphanages or adopted out, sometimes internationally. Michael and Mary were among thousands of children affected by these policies.
While Michael was adopted by a family in the United States and grew up to become a successful lawyer, Mary’s story diverged. After their separation, Mary was adopted by a different family. The details of her upbringing are less well-known than Michael’s, as she did not become a public figure like her brother, who later sought to find his birth mother.
The story of Michael and Mary gained wider attention through the book and subsequent film adaptation titled “Philomena,” which focused on the efforts of their birth mother, Philomena Lee, to find her son. The film highlights the challenges faced by both Michael and Mary in their separate lives, as well as the impact of the Catholic Church’s policies on their family. While Michael’s search for his birth mother was a significant part of his life, Mary’s experiences and whether she sought a reunion with their birth mother remain a more private aspect of the family’s history.