Jan Keyes

From behind bars of the notorious juvenile detention center of Chicago’s Arthur J. Audy Home, a waif-like eight year old Jeanette watched in horror as her mother stood up, turned and walked away.

 

In that moment she was ripped from her family and became a Ward of the State. Demoralizing institutional and foster care followed, until, at sixteen she decided to take responsibility for her own life. No Parents. No state-sponsored guardians.

 

When she became a mother at nineteen she was left with nine dollars and a two-week old baby. She longed to change the trajectory of her life. But how?

Through years of struggle and heartbreak she tenaciously clung to her dream: to have stability, to create the family for her daughter that was denied her.

 

From high school drop-out, Jan grew a successful corporate career in customer service, technical training and sales. She found her mate in Joe. Together they created and grew a gallery of Native American Arts and Crafts. Later she became an herbalist/nutritionist and pursued writing.

 

But throughout, questions lingered: Why did all this happen? Was she taken or was she, in fact, given away. It took sixty years to uncover the truth.