Upton was a documentary filmmaker who was best known for helping to rescue children from a Romanian orphanage in the 1990s. The squalid conditions faced by young Romanian orphans first came to light after 20/20 aired a show in 1990. Upon learning of the horrific conditions that were pervasive in Romania at that time, Upton Jr. was spurred to action.
According to the Huffington Post, Upton Jr. "was instrumental in bringing an estimated two dozen orphans to America for medical care and adoption." Romania became a popular destination for U.S. families interested in international adoption. Unfortunately, Romania halted international adoptions to the U.S. in 2001 after accusations of problems with their adoption system.