NEW YORK CITY — Hot dogs and the Fourth of July seemingly go hand in hand. For competitive eater Mary Bowers, devouring more than one is just part of the job when it comes to Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. This year's event will be her ninth time at the table, but it's the progress she's made in finding her biological family that makes this contest even more special.
"I really feel like this is probably the first time where that Korean-American dual-identity has really felt like me as a whole," Bowers told Denver7, a big difference from 2023 when she said she was working to reclaim "pieces" of her identity.
The Colorado-raised competitive eater shared, she was on a journey in search of her history. Bowers said that at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, she went back to visit her home country of South Korea to find out more about her life before she was adopted by a Greeley family.
My name is Mary and I am STILL the #1 ranked competitive eater in #Korea 🇰🇷. I am the ONLY athlete to have ever represented my country @originalnathans @eatingcontest. Don't ever underestimate me again 💪. #16for16 #america #happyjuly4th pic.twitter.com/y97pKuNG7O
— Mary Bowers (@EatBeMary) July 5, 2023
In July 2023, Bowers told Denver7 what she discovered "was a series of human rights abuses that are quite serious." She went on to say she found almost 400 other people around the world who had made similar claims as hers.
"The documents my parents in Colorado received indicate I was an orphan with no identifiable parents. However when I did some digging, I found the names of two very alive people," Bowers said.
Fast forward to July 2024.
Bowers told Denver7 she made a big discovery.
"When I talked to you, I think I had mentioned that I had moved to Korea to search for my biological family. After being adopted as an infant, I found that there was a lot of missing documentation that's still under investigation. But through the course of all of that, seven DNA tests later, I have found my baby brother Chase." Bowers continued saying, "I went all the way to Korea to find him and it turns out he was just on the other side of the Rockies."
Bowers says she was able to meet her brother for the first time in person back in June. However, she shares it was not his first time seeing her.
"He actually saw the [Nathan's Hot Dog Eating] contest for the first time last year," Bowers said. "He just didn't know it was me he was watching. So, this will be the very first time that he actually gets to have that experience of cheering me on."
While Bowers said she is focused on the July 4th challenge, her real focus continues to be raising awareness on suspected human rights violations related to South Korea's overseas adoption system.
"So a year later, we're still waiting on the U.S. Government to take some action. But other governments around the world have also launched independent investigations," Bowers said. "The initial investigation began in Korea. We expect to have a preliminary report by the end of this calendar year and a final report in May. Chase And I also expect to find out whether our parents are actually identifiable or findable in the Spring, as well."
While Bowers and now her brother wait for answers and action, she does offer advice to help keep other families from going through their same experience.
"I think one of the major things in my own case and also in Chase's case is that we have no proof of parental relinquishment, no court order, no statement from a judge or police station saying that we had been found abandoned or missing... those are the documents you want to be looking for," Bowers said.
With the same spirit helping her find her family, Bowers hopes to continue moving forward to the competitive eating stage and beyond.
"Definitely looking forward to representing Colorado, now representing South Korea and especially my baby brother and whoever our family is wherever they are," she said.
Bowers came in 10th place during this year's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest after eating 7.25 hotdogs.
