She never planned to share her story publicly—but Hannah Mongi ultimately decided to shine a light on open adoption by doing just that. Two years ago, at just 18, she made the most heart-wrenching decision of her life. After dating someone for only a couple of months, she found herself pregnant. While both of them knew they weren’t ready for marriage, Hannah was sure about one thing—she wanted to be a mother.
Together, they chose open adoption as the best path forward. This arrangement allows a child to grow up knowing both their adoptive and biological parents. “It would give our baby a stable home, while still letting us stay in his life,” Hannah explained. At 12 weeks pregnant, she heard her baby’s heartbeat for the first time and recorded the sound for the baby’s father.
Tragically, just two days later, 20-year-old Caden Whitney died unexpectedly. Suddenly, Hannah was alone. “I fell into depression and started doubting adoption. This baby was my only connection to Caden.” Confused and grieving, Hannah sought comfort in friends and family, but it only led to arguments. Then, in a moment of clarity, she realized that her son deserved a life with another family.
That’s when she met Emily and Brad Marsh, a couple with prior experience in open adoption who were hoping to adopt a second child in the same way. “They called their children’s birth moms ‘angels’—and they were everything I had hoped for, even more,” Hannah shared. She agreed to let them be present for the birth, on the condition that she could spend 48 hours alone with her baby afterward.
On March 19, 2016, Hannah gave birth to a son she named Taggart. She cherished every moment of those two days, knowing they would be her only chance to be his mother in the traditional sense. “Hearing him cry for the first time—I felt like the most important person in the world.” Hannah asked the nurses to give her privacy and decided to make a video for her son—a keepsake she hoped he would treasure one day.
The video features only Taggart, while Hannah speaks softly from behind the camera. Through tears, she tells her baby how deeply she loves him and shares the story of how she met his father. She explains the painful choice she made and how she only found the strength to go through with adoption by focusing on the better future it would give him.
Now, two years later, Hannah still sees Taggart regularly. The Marsh family lives just ten minutes away, and she visits weekly. “Emily and I understand each other completely,” Hannah says. “We’re both his mothers in different ways—Emily raises and nurtures him, while I gave him life.” Hannah is confident Taggart will grow up knowing how much she loves him, and that she gave him the gift of a family.
Moved by the hope that her journey might help others considering open adoption, Hannah shared her video online. It’s touched hearts around the world—amassing over 2.5 million views.