Ethan had spent more than half his life in out-of-home care. Parental rights had been terminated. Adoption was the goal. But despite having been placed in several homes, Ethan was still waiting for a forever family.
Then he was placed with the Marks family.
They demonstrated tremendous commitment to Ethan, and were willing to work through all the challenges. Ethan’s life-long trauma resulted in survival and coping mechanisms that created both behavioral and mental health needs.
As the adoption discussions became more serious, Ethan’s challenging behaviors increased. Did Ethan want to be adopted? Was adoption in his best interest? Through the on-going support of LSS counselors and loving communication over time, Ethan finally felt safe in the Marks family.
The happy ending: Ethan was adopted on his 17th birthday. He celebrated with family, friends and teary-eyed adoptive parents.