If she hadn’t been rescued from a park in Changsha, Hunan, China, Janna Mei Smith would’ve never experienced the life she’s living now. Smith, a senior at Campbellsville University, was adopted at seven months old by her mother, Cathy Sue Smith.
Smith was born on Oct. 7, 2003. Although that’s her birthday, it’s only a rough estimate due to being left in the park without any knowledge of how long. A man strolling the park found Smith wrapped in an orange blanket without any note.
“At the time, China had a one child policy, which is assumed the be the reason as to why I was left in the park,” said Janna Mei Smith. “Up until around 2016, it was a law and if you were caught with more than one baby you could find yourself paying a fine or even be forced into an abortion.”
Cathy Sue Smith learned about this policy while writing a research paper in high school and found herself being intrigued by the law. She knew she wanted to adopt children from China.
“Abandonment was illegal so the parents would try to hide the pregnancy, go out into the country and have it under an alias name,” said Cathy Sue Smith. “When I found out about the law, I became passionate about adopting children from China.”
The man who found Smith took her to the police station and she was later sent to an orphanage where she spent the first seven months of her life.
Cathy Sue Smith adopted Janna Mei Smith on May 18, 2003, and her sister, Jolene Smith, on March 28, 2005. For seven years, Janna Mei Smith and her family lived in Shanghai, China. Her mother was a fifth/sixth grade social studies teacher during their time in China. Smith and her sister attended an international school called Concordia International School Shanghai. It was for American students and kids of expats.
At seven years old, Smith and her family moved back to the United States. They settled in Barbourville, Kentucky, where Janna Mei Smith attended Barbourville High School. After graduating, she continued her education at Campbellsville University where she is currently studying biology with a minor in psychology.
Janna Mei Smith has supportive friends, family members and classmates who value her. She’s thankful for her story and the life she’s experienced and wouldn’t want it any other way.
“Janna is the sweetest person in the world,” said Smith’s best friend, Fabiana Di Feliciantonio. “She is always there to help in any way she can.”
Janna Mei Smith’s path from being abandoned in China to a happy life in Kentucky is proof of perseverance. She is thankful for her life and the events that have formed her, and she is surrounded by loved ones who appreciate her. She continues to acknowledge her upbringing all while looking forward to the future.
