• http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/02/03/16/48/1fVzJE.St.138.jpg|414
    Donna Sowards hugs and kisses her son Michael after he changed his school uniform before heading out to shoot basketball. Tiffany wasn't feeling well this day, so she laid down to rest. T.Ortega Gaines - ogaines@charlotteobserver.com
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  • http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/02/03/16/48/UbthJ.St.138.jpg|432
    Donna Sowards waits in front of the main library to be the first to get a computer to get online to search for her son and a job. Sowards, who lives at Hope Haven, goes to the library in uptown Charlotte every day to search online for the son she gave up for adoption 30 years ago. T.Ortega Gaines - ogaines@charlotteobserver.com
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  • http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/02/03/16/48/uxQmA.St.138.jpg|414
    Donna Sowards checks her email as part of her daily search for her son on a computer at the main library in uptown Charlotte. T.Ortega Gaines - ogaines@charlotteobserver.com
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  • http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/02/03/16/47/1gtwrQ.St.138.jpg|414
    After being on the computer for a few hours Donna takes a smoke break. T.Ortega Gaines - ogaines@charlotteobserver.com
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  • http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/02/03/16/47/1c9jMN.St.138.jpg|413
    Donna Sowards heads back to the computer to look for a job. T.Ortega Gaines - ogaines@charlotteobserver.com
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  • http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/02/03/16/47/lt4gf.St.138.jpg|414
    While getting some employment leads, Donna Sowards takes notes of some of the listings. T.Ortega Gaines - ogaines@charlotteobserver.com
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  • http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/02/03/16/47/A0jLg.St.138.jpg|429
    While getting some employment leads, Donna Sowards takes notes on some of the listings. T.Ortega Gaines - ogaines@charlotteobserver.com
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  • http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/02/03/16/46/ace2j.St.138.jpg|414
    Donna Sowards looks through papers while waiting for her son to arrived from school. She lives at Hope Haven with two of her kids, Tiffany Sowards, 15, and Michael Innis, 11. T.Ortega Gaines - ogaines@charlotteobserver.com
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  • http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/02/03/16/46/1kPJQS.St.138.jpg|525
    Tiffany Sowards wrote a poem about her mother's recovery. T.Ortega Gaines - ogaines@charlotteobserver.com
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  • http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/02/03/16/46/171CFF.St.138.jpg|414
    Donna Sowards asks her son, Michael, about his day at school before he starts his homework. T.Ortega Gaines - ogaines@charlotteobserver.com
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  • http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/02/03/16/45/FWQXJ.St.138.jpg|414
    Donna Sowards sits and has a moment with her kids, Tiffany Sowards, 15, and Michael Innis, 11, before the evening plans get underway. T.Ortega Gaines - ogaines@charlotteobserver.com
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  • http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/02/03/16/45/4LzZ1.St.138.jpg|414
    Michael calls his mother, Donna, to come and play basketball with him. T.Ortega Gaines - ogaines@charlotteobserver.com
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  • http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/02/03/16/45/TkTor.St.138.jpg|414
    Michael hangs from the kiddy basketball rim before heading to "the big boys' basket", as he calls it. T.Ortega Gaines - ogaines@charlotteobserver.com
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  • http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/02/03/16/44/4fwKM.St.138.jpg|414
    Mother and son head back to their room to relax after shooting some hoops. T.Ortega Gaines - ogaines@charlotteobserver.com
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  • http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/02/03/16/44/Y9hNU.St.138.jpg|414
    As the sun sets, Tiffany leads the way as she, Michael and Donna head back to their room for the evening. T.Ortega Gaines - ogaines@charlotteobserver.com
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