3-On Your Side: Identity Crisis
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Imagine the thought of missing your son's wedding because you can't prove your identity.
That's what happened to one Philadelphia woman who was trapped in a red tape nightmare. That is until she called 3 On Your Side's Jim Donovan.
April 16th was one date Wanda Bryant planned to save.
That's the day her son is getting married in Jamaica. She just needed to get a passport and she'd be set.
"But I'd have to get my birth certificate first," said Bryant.
That was easier said than done. Wanda was born in South Carolina and spent her early years there. But as far as the state was concerned, she didn't exist.
"I was born by a midwife and they never sent the papers on for me to be counted," said Bryant.
When she reached out to the department of records in South Carolina, they said she needed a drivers license, passport or photo id.
So she turned to Pennsylvania's Department of Transportation, to get a state photo id card. They said she needed a birth certificate.
Despite supplying numerous documents, Wanda hit one roadblock after another.
"I cried, because I felt like nobody could help me because I couldn't get one without the other," said Bryant.
She was beginning to think she'd miss Troy's wedding.
"I was terrified, I really was," said Bryant.
Troy was worried too.
"I was pretty hurt because I really wanted her to be in my wedding," said Wanda's son Troy Vereen.
When nothing seemed to be working, "That's when I called 3 On Your Side," said Bryant.
We reached out to PennDot, Pennsylvania's department of vital records and the governor of South Carolina. Wanda suddenly gained new hope.
"I even got two calls from the governors office of south carolina. My case wasn't just sitting on their desk."
And while we're not exactly sure how, Wanda received a pleasant surprise, her birth certificate.
"Now I can be at my son's wedding. And it feels good, I am so happy," said Bryant.
She was just as happy to share the news with Troy.
"She called me and she was crying and said, i got it son. And i was just you ,you know, just overjoyed," said Vereen.
We contacted all of the agencies involved and no one can tell us how this finally got resolved but fortunately for Wanda it did. Now she has her passport and will be off to her son's wedding next month.
Reported by Jim Donovan, CBS 3
