Kaepernick was born in Wisconsin to an unmarried teenager who put him up for adoption.
Teresa and Rick Kaepernick of rural Wisconsin had lost two sons shortly after birth to
congenital heart defects.
When they heard that a tiny baby boy was available for adoption, they were, as Teresa put it, extremely excited, very happy, and anxious to see him.
“I’m kind of a firm believer that things happen for a reason,” said Rick Kaepernick, the young quarterback’s adoptive
father
.
As a child, Colin suffered from chronic upper respiratory problems. At one point, his
parents
were so concerned, that they had him tested for
cystic fibrosis. He tested negative.
By age 4, the Kaepernick
family
had moved to Turlock in California’s Central Valley.
“Turlock is a very racially diverse community. We have been fortunate enough that we’ve never encountered anybody criticizing him or us,” said Teresa.
At Pittman High, Kaepernick rose to the occasion. He excelled in both sports and academics.
The young student
was described as a brainiac.
He took honors classes and Advanced Placement. He played three sports – baseball, basketball and football – exceptionally well.