For more than 1,640 days, siblings Carlos, Guadalupe, Maria, Selena, Nasa, and Max have all undergone foster care. However, they were eventually at risk of being split up permanently because it was near impossible to find a home that would be able to accommodate all six of them. That’s why Steve and Rob Anderson-McLean, a gay couple from Pittsburgh, served as the kids’ guardian angels by deciding to adopt them so that they would never have to be separated.
In an interview with Good Morning America, Steve recounted the emotional moment at the courthouse when they had finalized the adoption of the kids.
“The judge asked, ‘Do you understand at this point forward they are your children? They are just as much as your biological children.’ Obviously, we knew that, but when I looked up and saw all those eyes, it was very emotional. “We never imagined we’d be lucky enough or blessed enough to have six.”
Hearts Full of Love
Steve and Rob have been in a romantic relationship for over 18 years. They held their first commitment ceremony back in 2006 before finally tying the knot in an official capacity in 2013. They both got married in an intimate ceremony in Maryland. The couple has two children, both from a previous marriage. However, both of them are grown up and have adult lives of their own. The empty nest syndrome drove the couple to seek adoption as they felt like they weren’t ready to put their lives as parents behind them.
As the couple looked into the adoption process, they realized how many siblings get separated throughout the entire program. “Such a staggering amount of sibling groups are broken up, and it broke our hearts,” recounted Steve. Ultimately, their search for children culminated in finding Carlos, 14; Guadalupe, 13; Maria, 12; Selena, 10; Nasa, 9, and Max, 7. It didn’t take long before the couple finalized the adoption process and served as the kids’ official parents in 2018. Rob shared his feelings about wanting to keep siblings together and giving them a home to grow up as a family.
“We saw their picture and fell in love. So many sibling groups are broken up because people just want to adopt the younger children. Steve and I knew these guys needed to be together.”
One Big Happy family
The kids heaved a massive sigh of relief upon knowing that they wouldn’t be separated from one another. Steve commented that the kids were delighted at the news that they would all be living under the same roof moving forward. Steve also opened up about the disappointment that the kids have experienced while living under foster care.
“They had been let down by adults so many times in their life, and were nervous it wasn’t going to happen.”
Now, the kids are as happy as can be, and the entire family feels so lucky to have ended up the way they did.
What did you think of this heartwarming story? Would you ever adopt a child yourself? Comment your thoughts down below!
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Featured Image Credits: Anderson-McLean Family
How wonderful! Thankfully God provided for everyone. Blessings for all!
Fabulous! I hope it inspires other couples gay, straight, of different races. etc. Children thrive on LOVE. Period!