Cher recalls being placed in an orphanage before mother regained custody: ‘I was just five seconds old’

Cher recalls being placed in an orphanage before mother regained custody: 'I was just five seconds old'

As I delve into Cher’s captivating memoir, I am deeply moved by her poignant recollections of her early life. The resilience she showcased in overcoming adversity is truly inspiring. Born into a family that faced financial struggles, she was placed in an orphanage at a tender age, yet she emerged stronger, having learned to walk with assistance during her time there.


As a child, Cher was admitted to an orphanage, but later, when her mother managed to earn enough money while working nights at a diner, she was able to reclaim custody of Cher.

In an interview on Today show while discussing my forthcoming autobiography, I shared my story about how my parents found it challenging to provide me with the care I needed. Consequently, my father, John Sarkisian, was compelled to place me under someone else’s guardianship.

As a seasoned lifestyle guide, I found myself in Georgia Holt’s shoes, a single mother who nurtured none other than Cher. After much perseverance and hard work, I managed to gather the necessary resources and arranged a meeting with a distinguished congressional figure. The outcome was nothing short of triumphant – I was finally reunited with my beloved daughter.

Cher can’t remember her time at the orphanage, as she was too young – not yet able to walk – when she was admitted there.

But by the time she left, she was able to walk with some assistance.  

As I recounted my past to Hoda Kotb, I reminisced about the time when my father escorted our family to Scranton, Pennsylvania. There, he left me at an orphanage while he was absent, and my mother worked tirelessly at a 24-hour diner instead.

Cher recalls being placed in an orphanage before mother regained custody: 'I was just five seconds old'

Eventually, Cher’s mother managed to accumulate enough funds to retrieve Cher. However, she had to arrange a meeting with a congressman in order to make this happen, as Cher remembered later on.

The superstar doesn’t remember her time in the orphanage.  

I was just five seconds old,’ she said. 

She mentioned that when I initially entered, I wasn’t walking by myself, but when it was time to leave, I was now able to walk while still holding onto something for support. This is what she remembers from the incident.

Cher’s mother has been married numerous times – twice to Cher’s father John.

‘I don’t care!’ she said when asked about the number of times her mother walked down the aisle. 

‘After a couple of times, it’s like, “Mom, get a life,”‘ she joked.

In the 2013 documentary titled ‘Dear Mom, Love Cher’, Che’s mom openly discussed the challenges she encountered during her early years as a mother.

Cher recalls being placed in an orphanage before mother regained custody: 'I was just five seconds old'
Cher recalls being placed in an orphanage before mother regained custody: 'I was just five seconds old'
Cher recalls being placed in an orphanage before mother regained custody: 'I was just five seconds old'

During her pregnancy with Cher, she shared that there was a time when she considered having an abortion due to the stress from her own mother’s influence.

Georgia said when she fell pregnant with Cher she had just left her first husband.

She mentioned that her mother, who became a parent at 13 with Georgia, faced a difficult choice: opt for an abortion or go back to her husband. Given her circumstances, she felt unable to raise the child on her own.

Georgia acknowledged that due to financial constraints, she was compelled to place Cher into a temporary orphanage, a choice she has forever lamented.

Speaking about the day Cher was born, Georgia recalled: “I can still picture the chrome chairs [in the delivery room], and I was dripping with sweat. The sweat was sliding down me onto the chrome chairs as they called me next. I said to myself, ‘Mom, I can’t go through with it.’ And that’s how she came into existence.

Cher told the USA Today newspaper in 2013: ‘I heard the abortion story when I was a teenager. 

Cher recalls being placed in an orphanage before mother regained custody: 'I was just five seconds old'

The tale of the orphanage has always been a sensitive subject for my mother throughout her life, and she preferred not to discuss it. I asked, “Mom, why didn’t you boldly step in and adopt me instead?”, which was her response.

She expressed, “I lacked the means. I didn’t possess any funds, employment, or a stable job, and the church held significant influence. I would visit you daily, and you’d be in tears. You can’t fathom the struggle.” Life was more challenging for women back then.

‘I thought, this could be tricky, But what’s anyone going to do to me now? So I come from a poor white trash background. It doesn’t make any difference.’

Cher: The Memoir: Part One will be released on November 19. 

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2024-11-19 20:21

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