The Foundling tells the incredible and inspiring true story of Paul Fronczak, a man who recently discovered via a DNA test that he was not who he thought he was—and set out to solve two fifty-year-old mysteries at once. Along the way he upturned the genealogy industry, unearthed his family’s deepest secrets, and broke open the second longest cold-case in US history, all in a desperate bid to find out who he really is.In 1964, a woman pretending to be a nurse kidnapped an infant boy named Paul Fronczak from a Chicago hospital.Two years later, police found a boy abandoned outside a variety store in New Jersey. The FBI tracked down Dora Fronczak, the kidnapped infant’s mother, and she identified the abandoned boy as her son. The family spent the next fifty years believing they were whole again—but Paul was always unsure about his true identity.Then, four years ago—spurred on by the birth of his first child, Emma Faith—Paul took a DNA test. The test revealed definitively that he was not Paul Fronczak. From that moment on, Paul has been on a tireless mission to find the man whose life he’s been living—and to discover who abandoned him, and why.This is the story of Paul’s heart-wrenching and tortuous journey to solve both mysteries and finally learn the truth about his identity.The Foundling is a touching and inspiring story about a child lost and faith found, about the permanence of families and the bloodlines that define you, and about the emotional toll of both losing your identity and rediscovering who you truly are.
Download and start listening now!
"This story of Paul Fronczak is fascinating. This is a gripping tale of secrets and hope and mystery. The Foundling tells the true story of Paul Fronczak who recently discovered, via DNA test that he is not who he thought he was. This is after a woman, pretending to be a nurse kidnapped a boy named Paul Fronczak back in 1964. Two years later, a boy was found abandoned outside of a store in New Jersey. This is a story that will pull at your heartstrings and have you cheering on Mr. Fronczak as he tries to find out who he really is while sharing the emotional toll this situation has had on his life. " — Julie (5 out of 5 stars)
"This story of Paul Fronczak is fascinating. This is a gripping tale of secrets and hope and mystery. The Foundling tells the true story of Paul Fronczak who recently discovered, via DNA test that he is not who he thought he was. This is after a woman, pretending to be a nurse kidnapped a boy named Paul Fronczak back in 1964. Two years later, a boy was found abandoned outside of a store in New Jersey. This is a story that will pull at your heartstrings and have you cheering on Mr. Fronczak as he tries to find out who he really is while sharing the emotional toll this situation has had on his life. "
“A gripping tale of secrets and self-discovery.”
“Page-turning…Will likely appeal to a large swath of readers, from true-crime fans to amateur genealogists.”
" This was an incredible story. I could not stop listening "
Paul Joseph Fronczak is a military veteran and former actor who now works for a nonprofit organization devoted to saving lives. Nine years ago, Paul took a DNA test that disproved the story he’d been told about his identity—that he was “Baby Fronczak,” the infant who’d been kidnapped from a Chicago hospital in an infamous 1964 crime. In an instant, he became a man without a name, birthday, or medical history—an “unidentified living person,” in official terminology. Paul has spent the last eight years searching for answers—and looking for the real Paul Fronczak.
Alex Tresniowski, a former writer for both Time and People magazines, is the author of more than twenty books, including The Vendetta, which was purchased by Universal Studios for the movie Public Enemies. An Invisible Thread was more than twenty weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.
Kirby Heyborne is a musician, actor, and professional narrator. Noted for his work in teen and juvenile audio, he has garnered over twenty Earphones Awards. His audiobook credits include Jesse Kellerman’s The Genius, Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother, and George R. R. Martin’s Selections from Dreamsongs.
Audiobooks Were Restored to Your Cart
[ShoppingCartItemsAddedOnMerge] audiobook(s) were left in your cart from a previous visit, and saved to your account for your convenience. You may view or remove these audiobooks on the shopping cart page.