by Theresa L. Rodrigues

In his professional life, Somerville resident Richard E. Fuller works to solve the mysteries of biology. Fuller, employed at Biogen Idec in Cambridge, is part of a team working to defeat multiple sclerosis by purifying proteins that are used to create new drugs such as Natalizumab—which has been designated for a fast-track approval process by the Food and Drug Administration.

In his personal life, Fuller solved his own mystery of biology when he picked up the phone a few days after New Year’s Eve 2000 and, for the first time, heard the voice of his biological mother.

Fuller, who was raised in a loving home in Haverhill, said he was eager to search for his biological mother a few years ago when his doctor suggested researching his medical history.

He grew up knowing that he was adopted, he said, and he wondered about his biological parents. But, for adopted children, the decision to seek out and build a relationship with biological parents can be difficult.
Fuller contacted The Adoption Connection in Peabody and hired Susan C. Darke and Debra M. Blanchard to help with his search.

In October of 2000, with the guidance of Darke and Blanchard, Fuller entered the Salem Probate Court and petitioned to have his birth records opened. “I just filled out the paperwork, and the clerk brought it to the judge and he signed off on the petition.

“Half an hour later, I had copies of my original birth certificate, the social worker’s reports and my birth mother’s name, age and location,” he said.

Right before Thanksgiving 2000, the adoption agency found his biological mother’s current address and phone number. It was now up to Fuller to decide how to proceed, he said.

After some deliberation, he sent his mother a letter, he said. His birthday was the only allusion to the sender’s identity. Fuller mailed the letter to his mother, Susan S. Nickerson, on Christmas Day. She opened it Dec. 29, her birthday.

“That month was the hardest month ever. Finding my biological mother created strange identity issues that I needed to come to grips with,” he said. “As a child, you fill in the blanks as much as you can.”

Nickerson waited a few days to call her son back. “The first time we spoke it was crazy, emotional and intense,” he said. “It was really nice.”

They continued to call each other over the next few days until Fuller, Nickerson and her husband, Dennis, agreed to meet at the Museum of Fine Arts, in Boston, he said.

“We talked about the past, and there was a lot of catching up. The situation was very emotional, especially for Susan, because she had this big secret she was keeping,” said Fuller.

The next weekend he visited the Nickerson’s home and met his three half-sisters. Since that first family encounter, he has worked to connect life with his biological mother’s. The two visit each other often and holiday together, he said.

Louise L. Fuller, Fuller’s adoptive mom, passed away in 1987; Richard E. Fuller, his adoptive father, lives in Sunny City Center, Fla., he said.

To Fuller’s relief, his adoptive father was very supportive. “This situation can be difficult for adoptive parents because they feel threatened. They think they will somehow lose their adopted children,” Fuller said.

In September 2001, Fuller’s adoptive father met the Nickersons at Fuller’s Somerville apartment, he said.

This spring, Fuller and Nickerson were two of 1,600 people who attended the 31st Annual New England Adoption Conference, sponsored by the Adoption Community of New England, May 8.

They have attended the conference every year since their 2000 reunion. The event included workshops and people sharing personal stories about their experiences. “It is emotionally exhausting, but it is good to go because everybody is in a similar situation,” Fuller said. “It’s nice to be around people who understand this slice of life.”

While Fuller welcomed his biological mother into his life, it does not always work that way, he said. “Some children who are given up for adoption have a lot of resentment, and that was their parents’ last chance. I never had anger toward my biological mother. My philosophy is it’s in the past, and you have got to move on from that.”

Fuller said he recommends that adopted children look for their biological parents, but to proceed with caution. “You have to be ready to do it, and there is also no way to know what you are getting yourself into. Reading up on the subject helps, and also remember to make informed decision—even though emotionally you are a complete mess,” he said.

“I didn’t know what I didn’t have until I finally found it, and this has been an amazing opportunity for me.”