About The Donna K. Evans Foundation

Who Was Donna K. Evans?

Donna K. Evans was born September 2, 1956. She was the seventh child of nine to Imogene and William Evans. On January 14, 1973, at just 16 years old, she gave birth to her first child and chose to place her baby girl for adoption. Donna found out she was pregnant three weeks before she delivered. Donna was not given an opportunity to even see her baby girl to say goodbye.

Donna struggled with her adoption choice, having not had any assistance or support. The adoption of her first child was kept a family secret and the added weight took its toll. Donna could not bear the thought of placing another child for adoption and went on to have two more children; a boy she delivered on her eighteenth birthday and then, another boy two and a half years later.

Donna never graduated from high school. She dropped out two months after she delivered her daughter and ran away to her hometown in West Virginia. She was married and had her first son on her 18th birthday. She worked in a fast food restaurant and cleaned houses to try and make ends meet. With the addition of her second son, her marriage began to struggle ending in divorce. She would go on to remarry and divorce again and again.

Donna lost many of her siblings at an early age to various causes: murder, Agent Orange, a brain aneurysm, and stomach cancer. All of this trauma and loss added to her internal struggle with depression and anxiety. She went on disability and stayed at home, took care of her husband, and watched her sons grow into men. Donna’s favorite things to do were to watch television and take naps.

The baby girl she delivered in 1973 found Donna in 2007. Donna had tried searching for her daughter by contacting “Unsolved Mysteries” and tried to do some of her own research to locate her daughter. Donna, ultimately, filed the papers with the court allowing the adoption paperwork to be opened leading to her daughter connecting with her. After reuniting with her baby girl, who was now in her thirties, they became very close; talking on the phone daily and visiting frequently.

Donna’s health began to decline as time passed. She smoked daily. She went into the hospital in early May 2016 thinking she had a bad cold, which turned out to be pneumonia and a lung abscess. Her health continued to decline, and she never left the hospital.

Donna passed away on June 13, 2016 with her husband by her side. She will be forever missed.

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