The majority of us know what it’s like to grow up in homes where we’re loved by our parents and supported in all of our endeavors from an early age.
Of course, having a mother and father – let alone that love and care for you – isn’t half guaranteed. Far from it, in fact. Thousands of children across the US grow up without the benefit of their biological parents.
A lot of them are instead raised in foster care, sometimes bouncing from house to house, family to family, and hoping each day that they’ll find their forever home along the way.
That was certainly the case for 9-year-old Loralie, who entered into the system at the early age of 4.
As one can imagine, that road is no easy one to walk, but thankfully Loralie’s journey came to its end recently when she became one of 165 Los Angeles County children who were officially adopted on National Adoption Day on Saturday.
At the time of her adoption, the 9-year-old had spent a whopping 1,445 days in the foster care system.
And perhaps the most heartwarming thing about the whole story? Loralie’s new mom is Zoe Henry, who was also her second grade teacher.
We know, it’s eerily similar to the plot of Matilda. As per reports, Henry said that she knew Loralie was destined to be her daughter from the first moment the girl walked into her classroom.
“She completes our family, she completes our life,” Henry said.
“She brings such adventure and joy and fun and spunkiness to everything that we do, so it’s perfect. It’s perfect. Don’t cry? OK.”
Due to COVID-19, the large-scale adoption event was held virtually for the second year in a row. But that didn’t make it any less special or meaningful.
What’s more, the adoptions were finalized just in time for Thanksgiving, which Henry, from La Verne, said Loralie will get to celebrate as part of her new family.
It simply warms my heart to see stories like this. I think the world would be a far better place if we had more such articles floating around the internet.
So much of what we take in these days seems to dwell on doom and gloom. I can’t be the only one who wishes stories like this one were circulated as much as possible?
Thank you, Zoe Henry, for giving little Loralie the chance of growing up with a family who will love and care for her.
Share this article on Facebook to wish Loralie the best of luck in her new home, and to thank the Henrys.
