A woman who was sold for drugs as a newborn shared her harrowing life story in a heartbreaking viral video that has reached more than 4 million views.
Kat Lively, 20, a podcaster who currently lives in Los Angeles, was sold by her parents for drugs to a “random couple” in Colorado in October 1993 when she was just three months old.
“I've experienced and overcome so much at my young age, but I've risen from the ashes,” Lively told Newsweek.
Her birth parents then informed Lively's grandparents about her, claiming she was “gone” and they didn't know where she had gone. This prompted the grandparents to launch a massive hunt and rescue the newborn.
“I was born in 1993 to two people who should never have had a child. They couldn’t even take care of a mouse,” she said in the video.
Kat Lively, 20, shared a video on TikTok detailing her harrowing life story that has garnered over 4 million views
As a newborn, Lively was sold by her parents to a “random couple” in exchange for drugs. Her grandparents Ron and Kathy Walters (pictured) soon adopted and raised her
Lively was found in December by her grandfather, Ron Walters, after he drove from California to Denver, “camped in his van” and informed police about his granddaughter.
The newborn was found in the home of the couple who had been dealing drugs for them. She was then placed in the care of her grandparents and moved to California. She said she refers to her grandparents as her parents.
“My grandparents are the only parents who deserve the title of mom and dad,” she said.
After he found her and brought her home on Christmas Eve, her grandparents legally adopted her in 1999.
Between the ages of 11 and 12, Lively suffered two unimaginable losses when her grandmother died and her adopted brother, who was technically her uncle, suddenly passed away.
In another video posted to her TikTok, Lively said that her adoptive brother died at age 22 when she was just 11 years old.
“While this was happening, my grandmother was in the hospital receiving a double lung transplant at UCLA in Los Angeles,” she said.
“So she had two brand new lungs and two days after surgery, while she was in recovery, she got the call that her little boy, her son, had died.”
A year later, Kathy – Lively's “mother” – experienced lung transplant rejection and became very ill. She died when Lively was 12 years old.
Lively said after her death that she “rebelled” and was “angry all the time” as a teenager.
At 16, she moved out and traveled around the country, meeting other family members.
Lively has produced her own podcast, “Calling Old Hollywood,” in which she interviews “legends” of film, television and music history in a “sentimental deep dive.”
Lively is seen with her grandfather, whom she called her father. When he found out he had a granddaughter, he drove from California to Colorado to rescue her
“People always ask me, ‘How did you not get into drugs or crime, or how did you not go the other direction?’ And the answer is very simple: I was sold for drugs when I was three months old.
“There's something that stopped me mentally.” “I vowed not to go into the dark streets,” she added.
Her grandfather died in September and she used her experiences with loss and grief to create an online presence to share with others.
In an Instagram post dedicated to him, Lively said, “On Saturday the 23rd, my best friend, my father, took his last breath as I sat next to his bed while holding his hand and singing one of his and my favorite songs: “God knows.” “by the Beach Boys.”
“He instilled self-respect, morals, integrity, stubborn ambition and the conviction to never settle,” she added.
“The love of my grandfather, my adoptive father, saved my life after my surreal arrival into the world,” Lively told Newsweek.
As she has been moved since his death, Lively has tried to focus on using her story to help others.
“By sharing my story on social media and building an online community, my mission now is to help and inspire other people.”
As an adult, Lively met her birth parents, but admitted she realized she “wasn't missing much” after the couple visited her several times.
She said she was told her mother could stay at a high-quality rehab facility in Malibu for free as a favor from a friend.
“And she refused. She refused. So if that doesn’t tell you what I missed – this is what I have to say.”
As an adult, Lively met her birth parents, but admitted she realized she “wasn't missing much” after the couple visited her several times
Lively is seen in a selfie with actor Eric Roberts, who she interviewed for her podcast
Lively is pictured with some of the actors from the hit 1970s sitcom M*A*S*H
It is unclear what substances her birth parents used.
According to her social media accounts, Lively is the host of her podcast “Calling Old Hollywood,” where she interviews “legends” of film, television and music history in a “sentimental deep dive.”
In her few videos posted on TikTok, she has shared her story, given advice to others, and detailed her career. She also has a YouTube account where she posts her podcast episodes.
AL.com described Lively as an “origin story fanatic” who is more interested in the film's rich history.
She has been photographed with well-known actors such as Eric Roberts and Loretta Swit, Jimmie Walker and Bob Eubanks from the hit 1970s sitcom M*A*S*H.