It Was Time
Now was his time to shine. The judge was getting ready to read her verdict when he stood up and cleared his throat. All eyes were on him when he said, “Excuse me, your honor, if I may, I have something to say.”
Friends and family members tensed up, no one knew what he was planning. Emotionally overwhelmed, he cleared his throat and spoke up, “I have to tell you the truth about my mom.”
First Date
Since she was young, Sara Cozad dreamed of someday being a foster mom and adopting lots and lots of children. On her first date with Stuart Shank, she made it very clear that this was something that was very important to her. Little did she know back then that he would be the love of her life.
Stuart loved the idea and when they got married, they worked hard to fulfill her life-long dream.
Babies And Toddlers
They were a young couple and decided it was best to foster babies and toddlers. They would usually stay with them for a few days, Sara liked it this way.
She didn’t feel like she was experienced and skilled enough to look after the older children. She never could have guessed that her next fostering experience would turn her entire world upside down.
Stole Their Hearts
They were comfortable enough when they were assigned to take care of a 3-year-old boy for one weekend. His name was Michael and he was the sweetest boy. That one weekend turned into a week, then months and then years.
In that time, he stole Sara and Stuart’s hearts. But the perfect situation would soon take a troubling turn when they heard a knock on their front door.
Emotional Embrace
Michael wasn’t an only child, he had a 10-year-old brother named Dayshawn. When Michael and Dayshawn saw each other, they were both filled with emotions as they embraced one another for several minutes.
When Sara saw this exchange, she knew that she had to do something about it. But whatever she was planning on doing was going to interrupt her plans.
Taking Him In
Sara was 23-years-old, only 10 years older than Dayshawn. She never thought about fostering an older child because she felt that she’d do a bad job, but she couldn’t let the two of them grow up separately.
She thought about it a lot before deciding that she would take Dayshawn in too. She wanted to care for him and his younger brother. But things were about to get worse.
Romantic Feelings
Sara was lucky enough to have supportive friends and family, they never questioned anything she did. But when she took Dayshawn in, they all started to feel uneasy about the situation.
Sara and Dayshawn were becoming close. Everyone was wondering if Dayshawn had developed romantic feelings toward her.
Loving Family
Dayshawn struggled without a loving family for years, so when he was finally offered a family, he felt that he needed to take the opportunity with open arms.
He did everything in his power to show Sara and Stuart how much he appreciated them, that was what confused everyone. But the possibility of being broken up was lurking in the shadows.
Something To Say
Sara and Stuart wanted to avoid this threat, so they decided to start the adoption process. It took long, it felt like it had taken them years, but now, they were finally about to hear the judge’s final verdict.
But before she could give her verdict, Dayshawn got up from his seat and spoke in a shaky voice, “Excuse me, your honor, if I may, I have something to say.”
Unpredictable
Dayshawn was 13 years old, and Sara’s family and friends were concerned that he was in the middle of puberty.
His behavior was unpredictable. This was a concern for everyone involved. But what he said showed everyone that they had nothing to be concerned about.
Silence
And the room went silent. Sara and Stuart tensed up, “Your honor, I have a confession to make,” Dayshawn continued.
“My mom Sara and I have a strong bond. She and dad love Michael and me so much. And we are proud to be their sons,” said Dayshawn with teary eyes.
Judge Moved With Emotions
The judge was moved by the love displayed in front of her. She felt it would be appropriate to grant the adoption request.
There was an emotional uproar after hearing the judgment. Everyone in the courtroom was moved by what had happened.
Not Finished
Dayshawn’s heartfelt words had convinced the judge that he and his brother belonged with Sara and Stuart – it was their forever home.
The judge wiped a tear from her eyes and gave her a seal of approval. But Dayshawn still wasn’t quite done with his speech. He knocked the table until he had everyone’s attention once more.
More Words
“Yeah, they all love us,” Dayshawn said. “We love them. Our whole family is the best thing we ever had,” the boy confessed. “I’m glad to have these people in my life. I’m glad to be their son.”
Although Sara was already extremely emotional, she broke down completely when she heard Dayshawn’s words.
Where They Belonged
Dayshawn’s speech elicited another round of quiet sniffles in the courtroom when he was done. It was an emotional moment – everyone could feel that the boy knew that he and his brother were finally right where they belonged.
While Stuart tried his best to retain his composure, Sara sat beside him and couldn’t contain her tears. But Dayshawn still wasn’t done.
Relief
Although the whole courtroom was in tears, Dayshawn continued his speech. Instead of addressing the judge, he now addressed his adoptive parents – who couldn’t be happier that they were finally the legal guardians of the two boys.
Finally, the waiting and worrying about the brothers getting lost in the foster system had disappeared. The relief the family felt was palpable.
Final Words
As he spoke, it was clear that Dayshawn was incredibly relieved too. He turned to Stuart and Sara, who were still in tears, and really drove his point home.
“If I could wish for anything in the world, I would wish I could just love these people for the rest of my life,” he said.
Remembering That Day
Sara, who was an emotional wreck at the time, later described exactly what she was feeling and what was going through her mind on that day in August 2018.
She confessed that it was the most important day of her life and her emotions felt like a rollercoaster. However, she also had some mixed feelings.
Bittersweet
While Sara was ecstatic that she and her husband were the legal guardians of the two brothers, Dayshawn’s heartbreaking speech also elicited sadness.
Sara was incredibly sad that the boys hadn’t been given the love they deserved right from the beginning. “No child should feel grateful to have a family love them,” she said on Good Morning America. “It should be a given.”
Support
Back on that fateful day in the courtroom, the emotions on Sara’s face were reflected by her and Stuart’s loyal supporters, who witnessed the day’s events.
They had supported the couple right from the beginning, so it was fitting that they were also there to witness Dayshawn’s speech and the judge’s ruling. Needless to say, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. And who could blame them?
Watching The Fight
Sara and Stuart’s staunch supporters had been there to support the couple right from the beginning. They had continued to support them in their battle for legal guardianship of the boys for more than three years.
They watched as they overcame each obstacle, became attached, and finally, were officially recognized as a family. But their story wasn’t over yet.
Final Details
Now that the judge had made her ruling, Stuart, Sara, Michael, and Dayshawn were legally a family in the eyes of the law.
However, amid all the celebrations, Sara and Stuart felt that there was one more detail they needed to square away to make it all official. There was just one thing left to do.
Changing Their Names
The newly-recognized family decided to take the final step to all share a last name. It was an important and symbolic action that cemented the parents and their sons.
So, just like that, Dayshawn and Michael changed their last name to Conzad. It was the last step in the long journey that made the family whole.
Limo
As they walked out of the courtroom, a luxury limousine was waiting to take the brothers home. They were officially Sara and Stuart’s sons and had to be welcomed home in style.
Dayshawn couldn’t be thankful enough. He gave another monologue in the car about how happy and grateful he was as they rode around the city. But their supporters had a question for Stuart and Sara.
Room For One More?
Now that the long adoption process was finally over, Sara and Stuart’s friends and family couldn’t help but wonder if the couple intended to open up their hearts and home for more foster children.
Now that they had the time to think about it, they had to weigh all the pros and cons before they made a decision.
A Choice
“At our adoption party, I was asked several times if we would continue to foster now that our boys are adopted,” Sara explained their decision in one of her personal blog entries.
“Stuart and I have decided that if we continue to foster, we’re going to become a specialized home. ” But what would that mean?
Spreading Awareness
Sara’s blog was featured in LoveWhatMatters. She explained that she and Stuart hoped to become a specialized foster home. They had decided to focus their efforts on welcoming LGBTQ+ teens and teen moms into the foster system into their homes.
In the post, however, Sara explained her reasoning even further. They decided to specialize because of the foster system.
Committed
“Not because we can necessarily parent these kids better than anyone else, but because it’s heartbreaking that these demographics of teens sit in social workers’ offices for WEEKS (or even months) on end since so few homes are open to them,” she wrote.
And Sara and Stuart Cozad have already made a difference in children entering the foster system’s lives. They are absolutely committed to the cause, even though it’s not always easy.
Journey Doesn’t Stop
Sara, Stuart, and their two sons were ecstatic about finally being a family. But Sara was not done. She continued fostering more children that needed a loving family to care for them.
Over time, Sara and her husband realized fostering teenagers is a little more rewarding as they can talk through traumas with the teens.
Way Forward
Sara discovered fostering teens is not as dangerous as people make it out to be. Most teens aren’t ‘dangerous’ or ‘trouble,’ claims Sara. And Sara has set out to bring awareness to this with her blog.
And she has begun putting together material to help simplify adoption processes in all states. In Minesota, a mom went above and beyond when she lay her eyes on her adoptive son. Even she didn’t know she would be capable of such extents.
A Ray Of Sunshine
Lisa and her husband Mike had been fostering kids for years before they crossed paths with Daniel. The three-year-old stole their hearts from the get-go, and the fostering duo knew they had to take him in.
But they realized something was amiss as they started spending time with him. Daniel had a few issues that the parent hadn’t known about. But that wasn’t the worse of it.
Bath Time
Lisa had been caring for Daniel on their first week together, washing and preparing him for bed, when she noticed a few scars on his chest.
She immediately called Mike, asking if he’d seen the markings before. The boy before them, a ray of sunshine, smiled gleefully and tapped against the tub’s water. But his parents were beside themselves with worry.
The Caregiver
When Lisa and Mike had first seen Daniel, he’d been gaunt and pale. The caregiver had assured them that he was doing better. She explained that he had a few health conditions he’d been battling since birth.
She also said that he had been improving over the last few months. What she didn’t disclose in detail were the numerous medical conditions that the little angel was up against.
His Condition
See, Daniel was born with a non-functioning bladder, two collapsed lungs, a non-working right kidney, and a failing left one. So far, he’d been through 30 surgeries, each painful in its own way, trying to get better.
The alarmed parents called the orphanage to receive the full story about their son and were heartbroken when they learned the truth. But the difficult times were only beginning.
The Full Scope
Lisa and Mike went to the doctors to get the full scope of Daniel’s condition. They learned that although his lungs and bladder were stabilizing, they still had to worry about his remaining kidney.
They also learned that his biological parents gave him up for adoption because the list of medical procedures he needed was beyond them financially. But that isn’t the saddest part.
The Truth
When they gave Daniel up for adoption, no one would take him in because of the same reasons his parents had given him up. Lisa broke down as she learned all these new facts.
She couldn’t believe that people could be this cruel. She couldn’t begin to understand that throughout the painful procedures that took over the boy’s first two years, he was all alone. She had to step in.
Taking Care Of Him
The dotting mom made it her life’s mission to care for Daniel. She understood that he didn’t have much time left because of his failing kidney.
As such, she funneled all her attention to securing him on a favorable transplant waiting list. She wouldn’t spare any expense when it came to her brave little boy.
The Waiting Lists
But although her intentions were noble, the universe turned a deaf ear to her pleas. Each waiting list she sought out was crammed with people who needed help just as much as her family did.
To make matters worse, Daniel’s condition had confined him to the hospital, where he rarely left his bed anymore. But the mom couldn’t watch him fade away like this.
Is It Too Late?
The boy’s condition was deteriorating. Lisa went into overdrive, wading through his 5000+ medical records to see if there was something in there that she could use.
It was then that she had a dream about donating her own kidney to save his life. She’d been pouring through those records all day and had slept over them, not knowing what fate had under her sleeves.
Finally, An Answer
Lisa woke up with a eureka moment. She ran to Daniel’s doctors, asking if she could donate her kidney to stabilize his condition. But the doctors weren’t as enthusiastic as she was.
They presented a few setbacks to her proposal, the biggest of them being that the chances of her and Daniel being a match was microscopic. Lisa’s answer would leave them speechless.
Never Tell Me The Odds
“I’ll take it,” Lisa said. A 0.001 chance was better than nothing. But the doctors presented the second biggest setback. Daniel needed a kidney from someone under the age of thirty.
If Lisa’s chances were 0.001 before, they’d just broken in half. But the doctors didn’t know that when Lisa set her mind to something, she always found a way through.
Giving It Her All
“It’s better than nothing,” she said and asked to be tested. She’d started this journey with Daniel, only looking to give him a home. She had never imagined that she’d be giving her kidney as well.
To her, this was the best gift she could give him. He had given her so much joy and purpose in life. If this was what the universe wanted in return, she would pay it a hundred times over.
The Love Of A Mother
The doctors were speechless at Lisa’s zeal. They were even more dumbfounded when she matched with Daniel! Even Lisa herself couldn’t believe that she had been carrying a kidney that suited her little angel all this time.
She couldn’t push for the kidney transplant procedure fast enough. Within the next two months, her husband was driving her and their recovering son back home. But this isn’t the only incredible story of this kind.
Welcome To Arizona
In Arizona, a loving foster mom decided to adopt a boy that no other parent wanted. She had fought tooth and nail to have him under her wing and, after a while, got her wish.
But twenty-seven years later, she woke up in the hospital. One thing was clear. Her adopted son had done the very thing she told him not to do.
The Love Of A Son
The mom in question had been diagnosed with kidney failure and, like Daniel, needed a transplant as fast as possible. Her son, now a grown man, insisted on giving her one of his, but the mom refused.
But the son went behind her back and tested positive for a transplant. He gave her his kidney, saying that he would fight to keep her by his side just as she fought to have him stay with her.
Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.
