Birthparents of Famous Ghanaian Adoptee Would Like Reunion

“The Ghanaian parents of Italy striker Mario Balotelli have expressed their agony of not being able to meet their son and claimed that they do not care about his money, but just want him to come home.

Mario was born to Ghanaian immigrants, Rose and Thomas Barwuah in Palermo, Italy, but health problems led to him being fostered, then adopted by Francesco and Silvia Balotelli, an Italian family in Brescia.

Legally, the family separation might be complete but the Barwuah clan have kept a close eye on Mario’s career.

Unfortunately, Mario’s grandfather Nana, a retired bus driver, expired two weeks ago at the age of 74.

Mario, 21, had plans to visit the African state for the first time in August to see his grandad and had sent him a baseball cap with his signature embroidered inside as a gift. However, his father Thomas informed him that Nana had passed away.

The Man City star, whose transfer value has soared to 52 million pounds, made no mention of his grandfather’s death in his post-match interviews, preferring to focus on his adoptive family who have brought him up since he was a toddler.

However, there was no ill feeling from his blood relatives, and they hoped that he would still make a visit to Ghana.

“We are all extremely proud of him. It was wonderful when he scored both goals and we were ecstatic. When he pulled his shirt off and showed off his chest after scoring my friends made me do the same thing,” the Daily Mirror quoted as Mario’s uncle, Alex Barwuah, as saying.

“It made me feel closer to him. I’ve never met Mario but I feel very happy when I see him on TV. We watch him whenever we can. I’m so proud he is part of the family,” he added.

As the Italian football team clinched their place in tomorrow night’s Euro 2012 final, their two-goal hero Balotelli celebrated that special moment with Silvia, the woman who brought him up from the age of three, by diving into the crowd in the stands to giver her a hug.

“I told her, ‘these goals are for you’. I waited for this moment for so long and I wanted to make my mum happy,” he said”

 

Balotelli’s ‘agonized’ biological Ghanaian parents ‘just want him to come home’

[India Vision 6/30/12]

“The Ghanaian extended family of Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has joined persistent pleas from his biological parents that he should return to them.

Mario is a top striker whose transfer value has soared to £52million and though he was born to Ghanaian parents, Rose and Thomas Barwuah, on August 12, 1990, he was adopted by foster parents at age three because of medical reasons.

He was born in Palermo, a city in Southern Italy and was adopted by Italians.

There are two versions to the story of how Mario got adopted by Italian foster parents, the Balotellis.

Mario said in an interview that he was abandoned in a hospital by his biological parents, the Barwuahs.

They have denied this claim and insist that because they did not have enough money to foot his consistent medical bills due to his health conditions, the Balotellis offered to adopt Mario on a temporary basis but never brought him back.

“At first we were not sure but we decided it was probably best for Mario. We saw him every week and we all got on really well.

“We thought that at some point, once things had sorted out, Mario would come back to us.”

“But instead, every time we tried to get him back, the Balotellis kept extending the foster time,” Mr. Barwuah told the Daily Mail in UK.

The Barwuahs have since called on Mario to return to them but he rather took an Italian citizenship when he turned 18 and actually changed his surname to Balotelli.”

“Aside Mario, the Barwuahs have other children: Abigail, Enoch and Angel.”

Balotelli Family Cries: COME BACK HOME

[Daily Guide Ghana 7/6/12]

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