As investigators continue to piece together the life of Minneapolis church shooter Robin Westman, shocking details have emerged about his mother’s past, including a secret daughter she gave up for adoption decades ago, a dramatic reunion turned into a film, and her silence in the wake of her child’s deadly attack.
A Daughter Given Away, Then Found Again
Mary Grace Westman, 67, the mother of the transgender shooter who killed two children and injured 18 others at Annunciation Catholic School, once lived a very different story.
In her twenties, she put a baby girl up for adoption in Kentucky. That child, now known as Faryl Amadeus, a filmmaker based in Los Angeles, grew up in Brooklyn with her adoptive family, unaware of her biological roots until Mary Grace reached out in 2005.
Their reunion was so emotional that Faryl eventually retold it in her short film Mary Meet Grace, released in 2021, with her biological mother appearing in cameo.
“My birth mother found me in 2005… the emotional mystery of adoption could fuel countless stories,” Faryl said at the time.
From Activist to Mother of a Shooter
After giving up her daughter, Mary Grace later became a devout Catholic and outspoken anti-abortion activist, even photographed holding a crucifix outside a Planned Parenthood clinic.
She also spent years working at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, the very place where her child Robin, who transitioned five years ago, later unleashed violence.
Teachers from Robin’s time at the school described the child as lonely, disruptive, and often called into meetings that left Mary Grace looking “nervous.”
In Robin’s disturbing online manifesto, the shooter directly referenced his mother: “I feel like my mom would have seen it coming due to my rocky past with violent threats.”
Silence After the Massacre
Mary Grace has now become an elusive figure in the aftermath. FBI agents visited her condo in Naples, Florida, but she had already rushed to Minnesota, reportedly so panicked that she phoned a neighbor, fearing she left her door unlocked.
She has since retained criminal defense attorney Ryan Garry and has not spoken publicly. Police confirm she has not cooperated with their investigation.
A Family Torn Across Generations
On social media, Faryl once shared photos of her biological mother smiling with her half-siblings — including Robin. She later built her life in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters, while Robin’s life spiraled toward tragedy.
Mary Grace’s brother, Robert Heleringer, a former Kentucky lawmaker, told the AP he barely knew his nephew and he hung up on the Daily Mail.
For now, one side of Mary Grace’s family is marked by a joyful film about reunion and belonging, while the other is overshadowed by a church shooting that stunned the nation.
Would you like me to write 3 headline variations for this draft (one focusing on the hidden daughter, one on Mary Grace’s double life as activist/mother, and one on her silence after the shooting) so you can choose the strongest angle?
