The story of Izidor Ruckel, a man who had spent the first 11 years of his life in a cruel Romanian orphanage before being adopted by an American couple, will be presented in the six-part documentary series The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman.

The mini series will premiere on National Geographic in the U.S. on October 11, and globally in 171 countries and 45 languages in early 2018, according to information posted on Izidorruckel.com. The episode that includes Ruckel’s life story,which is called The Power of Love, will air as the third installment in the series on October 25.

Izidor Ruckel spent the first 11 years of his live in a cruel Romanian orphanage, where lack of food and routine beatings stunted his growth physically and emotionally, reads the press release. He is now an orphan advocate who seeks to bring hope and dignity to children still suffering all over the world.

The famous American actor Morgan Freeman interviewed Izidor Ruckel in June this year. They met in a park in Los Angeles, the talk focusing around how the lack of familial love during early childhood shaped Ruckel.

“Morgan Freeman was truly curious to see how love has impacted someone who was locked away for so many years,” Ruckel said.

Freeman also talked with Ruckel’s American adoptive parents, Danny and Marlys Ruckel, trying to find out how they managed to reach such a broken boy with the meaning of love.

Former Romanian orphan documents his past for film

Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Izidorruckel.com, Photo by: National Geographic/Justin Lubin)