‘Mr. Peter, can I call you my dad?’: Single man adopts 11-year-old from foster care after biological and adoptive family abandon him

“I received a call from my social worker. ‘Can you take in an 11-year-old boy, just for the weekend?’ His birth family abandoned him at 2 years old and now, his adoptive family of 9 years left him at a hospital like some disposable object, never to return. All their promises of a forever family were thrown out the window. Helplessly crying tears of anger, I asked, ‘Where will he go?’ There were no family members to contact, no foster homes available. ‘He’ll be placed in a group home.’ There was no way I could let that happen.”

Sophia San Filippo -

‘I fell straight through the attic to the concrete garage floor. Cheated on for years, all I could do was wonder, ‘Why? How long before he decides to move on?’: After accident, woman says husband has ‘shown me what real love looks like’

“Life seemed perfect. Everything was falling into place. Then a tragic, freak accident changed everything. ‘Your bones resemble a scrambled jigsaw puzzle.’ I am learning to walk again. ‘Whatever happens, we are in this together.’ He had to lift me up, carry me around, bathe me, and feed me. His life changed just as much as mine did.”

LJ Herman -

‘I called my husband to say, ‘I don’t want to live anymore. I can’t keep fighting this.’ I’d hit rock bottom, then discovered I was pregnant.’: Woman survives fatal Biliary Atresia to birth miracle baby, ‘I defied all odds’

“During church, I kept feeling my phone vibrate. After the third call, I decided to step into the hall. I noticed a voicemail from a friend. ‘Hannah, we have a liver. I need you to call me back NOW.’ The phone slid out of my hand and dropped to the floor. In complete shock, I whispered, ‘I got the call, Mom,’ as tears started running down my face. She went ghost white. At 5.am. they strapped me down to the operating table. ‘No, I can’t do this. I want out.’ I lost it.”

Emily Richey -

‘Her mom came to parent-teacher conference with weary, troubled eyes. ‘Has she asked you to call her by a different name yet?’: Christian teacher’s ‘heart softened’ after she learns her student is transgender

“I’d had her as my student for nearly 100 days. Instead of spewing my stance, ‘Ummm, there are two genders. God made man and woman,’ I surprised myself. Direct eye contact ceased, and eyes darted to shoes. ‘I thought you’d be upset.’ The next moments will be etched in my mind forever.”

LJ Herman -

‘Just get the babies in the car.’ I stood there for too long, wondering how to let a stranger clean up my mess. It was way harder than I wanted it to be.’: Mom thanks Trader Joe’s employee for showing her ‘the beauty in the mess’

“I believe I told you ‘just shove it in, and pray,’ which I immediately wanted to follow-up with, ‘That’s what she said.’ I heard the bag filled with grapes, strawberries, and blueberries tumble to the ground. Without hesitation, you told me to let you clean it up and you would be right back out with fresh replacements. I didn’t want to accept the help, but I knew I needed it.”

LJ Herman -
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