Second Chances | Eric McDaniel | Legacy Project Korea

Eric McDaniel was adopted at the age of four to a family in Kansas City, Missouri. On the car ride from the airport, his mom opened up a photo album showing four polaroid photos - one of a car, a big house, his Mom and brother smiling, and his bed. Having vivid memories of being abandoned, it finally clicked with him that he was getting a second chance and this was the family he wanted. Eric learned to adjust and quickly understood that fending for himself and fighting fire with fire was not the only way to live. By the time he entered high school, he had lost his Korean identity and became the catalyst to his own racism.
Eric wanted to keep himself accountable for his actions and reconnected with Korean culture and his Korean identity after making his first Korean friend at university. With flashbacks of Korea coming back to him, he made up his mind to go to Korea as an English teacher and use it as an opportunity to search for his birth parents. The search was successful and he was able to have the chance to rekindle a relationship with his parents and extended family while also discovering he had half siblings adopted to France. Eric shares how second chances allowed him to love his Korean family again and thanks the internet and global adoptee community for helping him locate his half siblings.
Support us!
koreanamericanstory.org/donate/
See more of KoreanAmericanStory.org:
www.koreanamericanstory.org
/ koreanamericanstory.org
/ koreanamericanstory
/ ka_story
www.vimeo.com/koreanamericanstory
CREDITS
Interviewer: Becky White
Videographers: Becky White ‪@TheHalfieProject‬ + Cedric Stout ‪@skycedi‬
Editor + Motion Designer: AJ Valente ajyval.myportfolio.com
Music Composer: Jang Hyeong Yoon
Executive Producer: HJ Lee
KoreanAmericanStory.org is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to create and preserve the stories of the Korean American experience.

[@elainecampbell8083]

Thank you so much for sharing Eric's story. Wow, bless him. My cousin is adopted, and she just found out she has three sisters. She met them at the end of 2021. I was really happy for her because she grew up as an only child, adopted into my Aunt and Uncle's family. I love that Eric used the "kill them with kindness tactic". Those are the exact words that my Father used when he talked to me about the bullies that haunted me throughout elementary school. I've used that theory to this day.

[@ericmclee86]

Thanks for sharing your story. This is great and happy for your cousin :)

[@dezigal87]

You’re always an inspiration, Eric.

[@ericmclee86]

Thanks Sid hope all is well!^^

[@teesong6801]

Great story thank you for sharing. Believe it or not even Korean kids who have Korean parents go through the same thing as adoptees do in trying to fit in but it’s worse because our parents did not know about American culture. At times I remember I had a Korean adoptee in my class and thought how lucky he was to have American parents who understood American culture. Same as you, I learned in High School that I wanted to more in tune with my Korean culture and be proud rather than trying to hide it. The most impressive thing you mentioned was to treat everyone with kindness because that is universal in any culture. Good luck to you and your future.

[@ericmclee86]

Tee - its not about worse. It all depends really. We share similarities and we empathize :) It depends how u deal with it. Hate begets hate. True strength comes within and to look into society and those who hurt you and smile :l Because you know u love urself :) And thats all that matter essentially.

[@rik1754]

Wow your story is amazing to say the least. You already had the mindset of self reflection and awareness when you were so young and you set your mind to achieve what you felt was the right thing to do. Many more happy and healthy years to your life’s journey.

[@ericmclee86]

Thanks for listening. Lemons to lemonade :)

[@Jinnyboymusic]

Thank you for sharing your story. You have this positive vibe and hope all those struggles and identity crisis is a past.

[@ericmclee86]

Identity is the person you look at every time in the mirror^^ Others do not define your humanity. Its what u do!^^

[@yoonicornkids-themakingofa4984]

What an amazing person!!

[@ericmclee86]

Thank U

[@maimkim]

This guy is the MAN! One of the most inspirational people I’ve met. His story and experience helped me big time in finding myself and my own roots.

[@ericmclee86]

Always brother 👊❤👊