Maine Foster Care Survivor Who Scrubbed The Earth Searching For Mom To Keynote Renowned Podcast

By Ted Cohen Maine Wire

A Presque Isle woman who recently released a book on the scandalous Maine child-care system has struck publicity gold.

Sabrina Rose has been selected to appear on Kevin Lanning’s Apple podcast later this spring.

“Rise Above with Kevin Lanning” is a worldwide-popular show focused on stories of recovery from addiction and resilience.

Lanning, a former Google executive, overcame addiction to finally claim sobriety.

Rose, who had hired a PR agent to publicize her story, decided to instead do it on her own, single-handedly nabbing a slot on Lanning's show.

“I’ve been booked to appear on one of the biggest podcasts in the world,” she said. “I’ll be traveling to Palm Beach soon to tell the whole world my story.”

Rose, 31, last month broke onto the public stage exposing Maine’s troubled child-welfare system with the publishing of her second memoir, “Finding Michelle Canu.”

The search for her mother meshed with a parallel mission - investigating state officials taking custody of children in difficult circumstances and placing them in worse conditions.

The government rocket scientists separated Rose from her siblings at a young age and stuck her with abusive foster parent.

From the unmitigated trauma came drug and alcohol abuse, yet Rose somehow found the self-determination to survive.

Once she bloodied her knuckles painfully unearthing impossible-to-find adoption records revealing her past, survival slowly transitioned to personal growth.

“For years, I was told to hate my mother,” she said. “I was told to hate her because of her heroin addiction. And I did, up until recently…

“Ten years after my mothers death, I uncovered the whole story as to why my mother gave me up for adoption. The truth was so profound, so shocking, that I wrote a book about it.”

As Rose slowly overcame her addictions, she also began reconnecting with her brother and sister and found faith - in herself.

On the upcoming podcast, “we will be discussing how DHHS almost destroyed my life - and killed my mother,” she said, referring to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

As Rose excitedly awaits her trip to Palm Beach, “more podcast guest appearances of mine will be popping up. I’m so excited, humbled, and grateful,” she said.

“If only child Sabrina could see me now! 😃”