After Decades Apart, God Leads a Cancer Warrior Back to Her Birth Mother
After decades of searching, a woman with cancer finds her birth mom right when she needed her most. Ashley Pruitt says, “God overdid himself” with the timing of it all.
Ashley was always curious about her birth mom and remembers being "11, sneaking, trying to find out. I knew my mom was 24 when she had me. I knew she was 125 pounds,” she said. “I knew just bits and pieces.”
Related: 49 Years Later Daughter is Reunited With Birth Mother and Other Family After Taking DNA Test
The Arkansas native, who is 41 and a mom of two, finally met her birth mom when she was undergoing treatment for breast cancer and was about to have a bilateral mastectomy.
"I got on my knees, and I got on my knees,” she said after she learned of her cancer. “Just be in that room with God. I was desperate at that time to sit in that hospital and realize I don't even know if I have enough people to carry my casket. That's hurtful.”
Soon after, she got a surprise text message from a relative.
Woman with Cancer Finds Birth Mom Right Before Life-Changing Surgery
"I got a text message out of nowhere saying that [it was my] aunt, [my] dad's sister. I just had to read it and look at it and stare," Ashley said.
Her aunt let her know that Ashley’s birth father was recently deceased, but her mother was alive.
"I didn't have, I didn't have anybody. Not nobody. But I will today, after today, I got somebody. I sure do after today, after today, I got somebody," she said before meeting her birth mom later that day.
Spirits Lifted High After Loneliness and Despair
"This is the first time I'm gonna lay eyes on my mom and get to look at her. I don't know what I'm going to do," Pruitt said, squealing in excitement. "Do I kiss the lady? Do I hug the lady? You know, is she going to be able to take me?”
Her birth mom, brother, and cousin drove up from Texas to meet her. Ashley ran and gave her mom a big hug.
“God really overdid himself. I keep asking myself, Why me? Why me? He truly went above and beyond,” she explained.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: 80-Year-Old Woman Finds Her Long-Lost Brother She Never Knew She Had
Ashley’s mom was with her for her procedure, and some of her father’s family also flew in the day afterward to meet and comfort her.
Ashley couldn’t have asked for better timing for her birth family to be with her. She thought she was all alone as she faced this huge battle, but God answered her prayers and put her family right by her side.
WATCH: After Decades Apart, God Leads a Cancer Warrior Back to Her Birth Mother
LISTEN: Pen Pals Finally Meet in England After 51 Years | After 50 Years, Man Reunites With Brother Taken From His Mother's Arms
h/t: THV11
Featured Image Credit: YouTube/THV11
Michaela Gordoni is an avid reader and part-time globe-trotter. With a bachelor's degree in International Relations and experience in the non-profit world, she has a passion for people and reporting. You can check out her portfolio here.
Originally published November 13, 2025.
