JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — After being apart for 10 years, a niece and aunt were reunited just in time for the holidays. However, the road to adoption was not an easy one.
La Tori Wilson grew up in and out of foster care homes.
“Her parents’ rights were terminated,” Melissa Swim said. “She was actually adopted prior to and then she was returned back into foster care.”
Swim is a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiter and worked one on one with La Tori, trying to find her a family. But La Tori did not have a lot of hope that she would find one.
Swim and other adoption recruiters sent out letters to distant relatives while pushing for interested families to meet with the 17-year-old. Eventually, they received a response from Valeshia Wilson, La Tori’s estranged aunt.
“She advised me that my niece has been in foster care for about a year,” Valeshia Wilson said. “I said that’s unacceptable. I want her.”
Despite a pandemic and the closure of the courtroom, the Dave Thomas Foundation adoption group pushed for virtual adoptions. Now, eight months later, more than 100 Zoom adoptions have been performed, including La Tori’s.
Wilson said her relationship with her niece has grown so much.
“I’m not going to be your aunt. I’m going to be your mom,” Wilson said. “I’m going to show you what a mom is supposed to do.”
Right now, there are more than 60 kids in Jacksonville waiting to be adopted, according to the Dave Thomas Foundation.
If you’re interested in fostering a child or adopting, you can visit the foundation’s website, HERE.
You can also donate to the organization or send a child a gift for the holidays, click HERE to donate.
Cox Media Group
