Pregnant at 16. A forced adoption. High school sweethearts torn apart by the unbearable pain of giving up their son… Who could imagine that this heartbreak would turn into a miraculous testament to the power of love?
Bart and Brenda were young, crazy about each other and secretly engaged when they discovered Brenda was pregnant. At her parents' insistence, the couple put their child up for adoption.
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Bart and Brenda had a baby boy in 1977 and, under pressure, placed him for adoption.
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Bart and Brenda's relationship couldn't stand the strain of what had happened, and things ended abruptly.
"We stopped communicating. She wouldn't answer my calls," Bart told "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in 2005. "It just stopped."
High School Sweethearts Reconnect
Eventually, each moved on with their lives, married other people and had children. Yet, Bart and Brenda never forgot about each other, or their son.
Twenty-six years after breaking up, Bart looked up Brenda on Classmates.com. They learned that they were both divorced, and decided to meet. Their reunion was incredibly emotional.
"I just went, 'Oh, my God. It's my Brenda. This is the girl that I've been in love with all my life,'" Bart said.
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Bart and Brenda found their way back to each other after nearly three decades apart.
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Then came an unbelievable twist of fate.
While out one day, Brenda struck up a conversation with a woman and shared her story, saying that she and her first love were searching for their son. The woman asked for the boy's birthdate. The woman nearly fell over when she heard it.
"She was in shock and said, 'Wow, my aunt has a son that has the same birthdate, which she adopted,'" Brenda recalled.
It was more than an incredible coincidence -- they soon confirmed that the woman's cousin was indeed Brenda and Bart's biological son.
Reuniting with Their Son
A week after Bart and Brenda found their son, Andy, they had the family reunion they always dreamed of.
"After 27 years, to sit there and hold this person, oh, my God," Bart said. "I never thought it possible."
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Andy, Bart and Brenda appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in 2005 and introduced the newest member of their family: 8-week-old Madisyn, Andy's sister.
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Bart and Brenda got engaged. Then came more miraculous news: Brenda was pregnant. She gave birth to a baby girl in 2005, and let Andy name her. He chose Madisyn.
"Finding the son that I gave up 27 years ago and giving birth to my second child with the love of my life has been the most incredible experience," Brenda had told Oprah.
The Family Today
It's been 11 years since that show, and "Oprah: Where Are They Now?" recently caught up with the family to find out how they've been doing since sharing their story. Now, Andy is a father himself.
"He's a special boy," Andy says of his 5-year-old son. "He's changed my life."
Bart also jokes that he and Brenda are like the parents from "The Brady Bunch," with their blended family.
"We share eight [kids]," he says. "We share, together, our first and our last."
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Bart and Brenda married in 2005. Andy agreed to walk her down the aisle.
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It's a life they always dreamed of, but one that Bart says once seemed impossible.
"Having it turn out like it did, it was the craziest ride you could ever imagine," he says. "It's been an awesome adventure. Life's an adventure -- I just can't wait to continue it."
"Oprah: Where Are They Now?" airs Saturdays at 10 p.m. ET on OWN.
QUIZ: How Well Do You Know 'The Oprah Winfrey Show'?
QUESTION 1(01 of22)
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Which comedian did Oprah let rub his fingers through her hair after he said he suspected it wasn't all hers?A. Robin WilliamsB. Jon StewartC. Chris RockD. Jim Carrey (credit:Getty)
ANSWER: Chris Rock(02 of22)
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Oprah chatted with comedian Chris Rock while he was on the show promoting his very funny documentary "Good Hair." "I knew this was the hair show, so I said, 'I'm going to wear my own hair,'" Oprah told him."You got a little extra piece right here, though," Chris said."I do not," Oprah declared -- and then she flipped her head down so Chris could see for himself. Watch Chris' hilarious response to Oprah's extension-free hair. (credit:Getty)
QUESTION 2(03 of22)
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Which Oscar-nominated actor zip-lined onto the "Oprah Show" stage from the top of the Sydney Opera House?A. Hugh JackmanB. Leonardo DiCaprioC. Tom CruiseD. Johnny Depp (credit:Getty)
Which Hollywood actor requested to meet a fan for a second time on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" after being smitten upon his first encounter?A. Matt DamonB. Robert Downey Jr.C. Matthew McConaugheyD. Tom Cruise (credit:Getty)
ANSWER: Tom Cruise(06 of22)
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It was one of the funniest surprises in "Oprah Show" history when Oprah's cameras showed up at the doorstep of Nancy, one of Tom Cruise's biggest fans, back in 2001. When Nancy was invited back in 2008, Tom presented her with flowers and a framed, signed photo of the two of them from their first meeting. See Nancy's exuberant reaction to her first invitation. (credit:Getty)
QUESTION 4(07 of22)
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Which diva inspired Oprah to wear a wig styled in the diva's signature 'do? A. CherB. Tina TurnerC. Diana RossD. Aretha Franklin (credit:Getty)
ANSWER: Tina Turner(08 of22)
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In 1998, Oprah packed up her show and followed Tina Turner around the country. Oprah wore a wig designed to look like Tina's signature hairstyle to complete what she calls the "ultimate groupie story." Watch Oprah defend her hair experiment. (credit:Getty)
QUESTION 5(09 of22)
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Which British-born actress told Oprah -- just moments before the interview began -- that she wouldn't talk about her famous relationships?A. Kate BeckinsaleB. Catherine Zeta-JonesC. Elizabeth TaylorD. Emma Thompson (credit:Getty)
ANSWER: Elizabeth Taylor(10 of22)
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Oprah has called her 1988 interview with Elizabeth Taylor her worst, and "painful to watch." It was Liz's first appearance on the show, and the old-Hollywood actress gave short answers to all of Oprah's questions. Oprah later learned that Liz had been in excruciating back and hip pain at the time of the interview. (credit:Getty)
QUESTION 6(11 of22)
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Who set a Guinness World Record for holding his breath underwater on "The Oprah Winfrey Show"?A. Criss AngelB. David CopperfieldC. David BlaineD. Scott Hammell (credit:Getty)
Which actress danced onto Oprah's stage in a cranberry bikini during a very public weight loss battle?A. Carrie FisherB. Drew BarrymoreC. Renée ZellwegerD. Kirstie Alley (credit:Getty)
Which blockbuster movie superstar locked lips with Oprah during their 2005 interview?A. Brad PittB. Will Smith C. Johnny DeppD. Tom Hanks (credit:Getty)
ANSWER: Will Smith(16 of22)
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Will got fresh with Oprah while promoting his hit romantic comedy "Hitch" in 2005. See the moment he leaned in for the smooch in this roundup of wild "Oprah Show" moments. (credit:Getty)
QUESTION 9(17 of22)
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Which celebrity chef dropped a glass ramekin in a mixer, sending shards flying onstage during a cake-making demonstration?A. Rachael RayB. Cat CoraC. Curtis StoneD. Paula Deen (credit:Getty)
Which actor taught Oprah dance moves from his films twice on "The Oprah Winfrey Show"?A. John TravoltaB. Antonio BanderasC. Christopher WalkenD. Kevin Bacon (credit:Getty)
ANSWER: John Travolta(20 of22)
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John danced his way onto Oprah's set for the first time in 1996. He came back to teach her some moves from his hit musical "Hairspray" in 2007. But those were just two of many memorable moments John Travolta and Oprah had together in his 11 appearances on the show. (credit:Getty)
QUESTION 11(21 of22)
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Which comedian leaped offstage to dance with an audience member?A. Robin WilliamsB. Adam SandlerC. Chris RockD. Jim Carrey (credit:Getty)
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