While visiting a flea market recently, an Oxford man found something he lost 20 years ago ? his mother.
A chance encounter at the Dixieland Antique Flea Market in Waterford Sept. 24 reunited Bernard Nolan, 33, with the mother he hasn’t seen in two decades.
‘I was walking out the door and she was about 30 feet in front of me,? said the 1991 Oxford High School graduate. ‘I recognized the side of her face.?
‘I walked up real close to her. She turned around and looked at me. I said, ‘Your name’s Julia, right?? She said, ‘Why?? And I said, ‘I think you’re my mom.??
‘Then her eyes lit up and she said, ‘Bernie!??
‘It was emotional,? Nolan said. ‘She busted into tears.?
Nolan said he knew it was his mother by her eyes and trademark long brown hair.
‘I can’t miss my mom’s eyes ? them blue eyes.?
Ironically, Nolan’s wife of 11 years, Charlene (nee Dupon), and her friend were searching for his mother on the internet that same day.
It’s been Charlene, also a 1991 OHS graduate, who’s encouraged and helped Nolan search for his mother for the last five years.
‘I wanted closure for him,? she said. ‘He’s always had bad feelings about the day they had to separate.?
‘I thought if I could bring them together, he’d feel whole again.?
Nolan was separated from his mother at age 13 when her alcohol problem forced him to call the authorities, who placed him and his 3-year-old brother in foster care.
Seeing the need to protect his little brother from what he described as a harmful situation, Nolan acted as the man of the house and did what needed to be done.
‘I acted like his father for a while,? he said. ‘I ended up taking care of him a lot.?
While his little brother was adopted by a family in Clio at age 4 or 5, Nolan was moved around amongst three foster families and landed in Oxford during his junior year of high school.
In foster care, Nolan said, ‘I got reports from the state that she was trying to get an apartment and clean herself up.? She hasn’t had a drink since the late 1980s and is now married, he noted.
After graduating, Nolan stayed in Oxford, married his high school sweetheart and now has two children of his own ? Evan, 9, and Audrey, 6.
Nolan’s mom, who moved back to Pontiac from Florida in May, was ‘excited? to meet her grandkids for the first time, according to Charlene.
‘She thinks they’re very well-behaved,? Nolan said.
The day of their reunion at the Dixieland Antique Flea Market, the whole family went to dinner and talked.
Nolan said it’s been ‘fun? watching his wife ‘learn more about me from my mom.?
‘A lot of my questions have been answered,? Charlene said with a chuckle.
‘She (now) knows why I do a lot of the goofy little things I do,? Nolan said.
Although he’s happy to have his mother back in his life, Nolan said he’s taking it slow when it comes to re-establishing their relationship.
‘I still haven’t really had a heart-to-heart with her about the alcoholism.?
Whatever the future holds for the reunited mother and son, Nolan is certain their recent meeting was no accident.
‘I just think it was meant to be.?

‘She (now) knows why I do a lot of the goofy little things I do,? Nolan said.
Although he’s happy to have his mother back in his life, Nolan said he’s taking it slow when it comes to re-establishing their relationship.
‘I still haven’t really had a heart-to-heart with her about the alcoholism.?
Whatever the future holds for the reunited mother and son, Nolan is certain their recent meeting was no accident.
‘I just think it was meant to be.?