There is so much to write in regards to Dateline that I have a hard time deciding on where to begin. I checked my email history, and I started conversing with producer Benita Noel over a year ago. After countless emails, phone calls, filming, photos, etc… we finally arrived at tonight’s broadcast. Before I ramble on too far, I want to point out that I sincerely believe she (Benita) did an excellent job of NOT “type-casting” adoptive parents as anything other than genuinely caring and compassionate people. I think each family shown tonight expressed a genuine concern and love for the children of Guatemala, and were portrayed in a fashion that kept us all “human.” I didn’t come away feeling that we “lost ground” in the battle to protect our children from being victimized by accusation. She stuck to the facts and dealt a hard hand to those who attempt to circumvent the law. And, she ended it by allowing us (adoptive parents) to express our concerns and fears. And, I was quite impressed with Victoria’s tenacity with Thanassis, and her “soft” approach with the victimized families.
What Dateline doesn’t show you, is how much their involvement benefited many families not shown on the program. Long before Thanassis and/or the awful kidnapping took shape, it was calls and questions by Benita and Dateline that helped solidify investigations into Reaching Arms International (and a few “bluffs” along the way 8)) and a couple other agencies, and actually sped-up the induction of a second DNA test. If memory serves me correctly (and Benita will correct me if not), the State Department was very interested in their air date several months ago, due to the fact that a second DNA test was being inquired about, yet had been pushed by FOA and others as a way to close the window on those committing DNA fraud several years ago. Part of my interview dealt with this, and the “powers to be” didn’t want the obvious to be broadcast on television.
I know Benita tired of my constant preaching of “fairness,” although she didn’t express it, and I think her end product respected the concerns we all had. And, truth be known, she was touched by her experience with everyone she met in her research. Maybe Kevin and I “wore” her down!! Haha
I’m still trying to take it all in, and I’m not sure how long that will take. I appreciate the additional “clips” on the web at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/
as it allows me to “haunt” Blanca Martinez for a little longer. I know this is short and brief, and I will be happy to entertain any questions anyone may have. There is no need to keep things quiet now. In the meantime, I’m going to tuck my oldest daughter in her bed and have a beer! 8)
I watched the dateline special, I have always wanted to adopt children from Guatemala--- they are so precious. I was flipping through the channels when I caught it, I watched the whole segment. A very good piece, people like Thanassis, should go under the jail--- because playing with someone's emotions is the worst of the worst!
Posted by: Lilly at January 21, 2008 12:03 AMTroy,
I thought your comments were powerful and well placed within the story. While it is sad to see people are taken advantage of during the process, most people understand that it is a very small percentage. I think that came across well in the Dateline story. Good job with all the work your organization did.
Father of two boys from Guatemala.
Posted by: David at January 21, 2008 12:53 AMTroy, I wish they had spent more time interviewing you instead of just a bit at the end. I pray one day that someone will devote an entire show to the positive aspects of Guatemalan adoptions. I wonder if Dateline and other shows that do stories like this understand the backlash so many of us receive as a result of these shows. You did a great job in the time allowed for your part, just wish there had been a lot more.
Lynn
Posted by: Lynn at January 21, 2008 11:17 AMHi Troy,
Just wanted to tell you that I met your wife in Guatemala in November. I was on a visit trip and she was bringing Alexia home. Not sure if she remembers me but she gave me Feliciano's phone number outside the restaurant at the Marriott. You did a great job on Dateline. My daughter Iris is now in PGN as of 12/10. I hope to bring her home soon.
Warmly,
Sarah
Troy,
You did a fabulous job and the clips on the MSNBC website are precious. I am glad they ended with your interview since it really spoke for all of us adoptive parents about the positive aspects of Guatemalan adoptions and how they need to continue and how we don't want our children stigmatized.
Thank you!
Susan
I was very disappointed that Dateline spent so much time and energy focusing on such a horrible attorney and not bringing more attention to the positive side of Guatemalan adoptions. We brought out little girl home in October.
Troy, I thought that you were fantastic! I was so pleased that they ended the show with your interview......I just wish that they had given you more than one minute to say what you had to say.
Troy, I agree with all the previous posters; I thought your comments were meaningful, hopeful and well-placed in the show. Your first adoption also grew out of scandal (Blanca), with a happy ending. Boy, what an adventure - who would ever think that the desire to bring a child into our families would lead us down the paths it has!
best wishes to all your family!! Lisa
Posted by: Lisa at January 22, 2008 01:07 PMThank You for all that you have done to share the positive side of Guatemalan adoptions. I watched the show as well and had mixed emotions. On the one hand, I felt that it focused too much on the negatives but it's important to highlight rip off artists such as Teo. I saw Teo sauntering throughout the Marriott Lobby on each of my 3 visits this summer and was fortunate enough to have had an attorney who warned me from the very beginning to be wary and not to ever engage with him in any conversation.
On the other hand, I felt saddened for those unfamiliar with Guatemala and who might use this media piece as the basis to form an opinion on adoptions. Until you've been there, it's hard to embrace the rampant poverty, massive illiteracy and understand that many of the birth mothers truly want to give their children a better chance and adoption provides them with that vehicle.
I also fear that one day our son (or our biological daughters) will just happen to see a show like this on the media and despite all efforts on our behalf might question the legitimacy of his adoption.
Thank you again for all the efforts on behalf of families who have adopted children from Guatemala. It's wonderful.
Posted by: Mp Mulholland at January 22, 2008 09:16 PMTroy,
I wanted to know when the interview with Dateline and Thanassis took place? My husband and I were in Guatemala on July 14-18 to pick up our son and back on July 29- Aug. 2nd and he was in the lobby of the Marriot both times in full adoption mode with parents and babies. He even talked to us (we didn't use him) but he was answering questions we had reguarding trying to get the US Embassy to speed up the process of our daughter so we could take both children home at the same time. He is a very smooth talker and We were SICK to our stomachs when this aired on dateline. I was shocked to say the least. He even remembered us when we went back to get our daughter. We talked to him almost everyday in the lobby. I hope people do get your message that there are legal ways to adopt these beautiful children and don't take all the negative stories from Dateline and decide not to adopt. The sad thing about all of this is that everyone thinks it is so corrupt in Guatemala--I hate to tell everyone that it is corrupt everwhere even the great USA.
Please let me know when this was taped- I've been thinking about emailing Dateline to let them know what we saw when we were there.
Thanks so much for all you do for these Wonderful kids and Guatemala.
Pam
Thank you so much for your involvement in the Dateline story! One year ago this month my husband and I found out, via Adoption Supervisors, that our adoption of our son was being managed in Guatemala by Athanasis Kollias thanks to our unethical adoption agency working with him.
Thank God our adoption of our son was finalized and he is home with us, however, the experience for my husband and I was the most traumatizing experience either of us had experienced in our life.
It was 5 months from the moment we learned of Athanasis managing our case and his banned status with the US Embassy to the date that we completed our adoption. Every day of those five months was spent hoping, praying, wondering, feeling beat down and helpless with our hands tied.
Thank you so very much for helping Dateline expose Athansis for the perpitrator he is and just a few of the agencies that worked with him who are equally to blame. One of the agencies mentioned was the agency we were working with.
One year later to the month of us catching our agency in lies and learning of Athanasis's involvement on our case Dateline aired their show. The show validated our experience with Athanasis and the adoption agency. It felt like something had finally been done to shout out to the public that Athanasis and particular agencies were hurting people in the worst way.
My heart goes out to each and every person that has been hurt by this man and the agencies that knowingly worked with him. My heart aches for those who did not bring home their child/ren.
Thank you for all of the advocacy you do on behalf of the children and adoptive parents!
Donysia
Posted by: Donysia Green-Gilmore at January 30, 2008 12:16 AM"Teo" was our facilitator while we were in process. I was not fond of him at the time and am now repulsed by him.
I wish though, that if Dateline was going to point fingers they would point fingers at the adoption agencies that employ these scam artist. They should be held accountable. Our agency defended this jerk and I wouldn't be suprised if he is still working for them.
I was just in Guatemala City at the Marriott. Guess who was there doing business. Thanassis? He was there doing business like he owned the place. What a creep! I also was approached by a young reporter. He wanted to know if I would just give him a one sentence quote. I of course said no. He wanted to know what I thought about the changes and if i thought the children would really come home or delayed for a long period of time. I kindly asked him to leave. He told me that everyone he asked said the same thing. He asked why no one would talk to him. Simple, no one wants to take any chance of having thier names in the news and make any trouble for thier case. He agreed and left the hotel. Just be careful.
Posted by: Troy Copeland at February 4, 2008 09:39 PMIt was wonderful to see Troy and his beautiful family on Dateline. The bonds of love were abundantly obvious. The extra clips on the Dateline web site are even better than what was aired! I can't get enough of those three gorgeous little girls!! I can just imagine a house filled with hair ribbons and lots of laughter.
Posted by: Anne Cralle at February 7, 2008 06:28 AMI would like to know why no one has brought up the fact that dateline posed as an agency and delayed the adoption of 5 kids for approx.8 months. That is as corrupt as they made the facilitator out to be.
Posted by: CT4 at February 7, 2008 02:44 PM