Thelma Harris’s father, Thomas, left her and her mother, Erin, when she was only a year old.
When Thomas abandoned her, Erin, a happy, energetic lady, was reduced to a lonely soul, but she defied the odds for young Thelma, who had a promising future.
Erin was unable to provide constant care for Thelma because she was a stewardess on international flights and was frequently gone from home for work.
As a result, she placed her in an Atlanta, Georgia, orphanage that is run by the local church. At the orphanage.