Boy Interrupts Judge To Explain Rumors Surrounding His Mother

Has anyone ever said mean things about your mother that you didn’t like? What did you do? It usually happens at one point, and one boy chose to stop it right out of the gate. He was a foster child, but he realized that the woman before him should be his mom, and he would not let that judge take his home away.

Foster children go through many trials and issues, and he’d finally found someone who would love him no matter what. However, was it somehow inappropriate? You’ll have to keep reading the story to learn what that brave boy did!

Telling the Truth

One boy spoke up just as the judge was giving her final verdict. The room went silent when he stood up and asked to address the courtroom. In fact, they all tensed because they wanted the truth, and the boy continued his plea through tears.

First Date

Sara Cozad wanted to be a foster mother and adopt many children of all ages. When she had her first date with Stuart Shank, she made that fact very clear. He was happy with that idea, so they married soon after to fulfill their dreams.

Toddlers and Babies

The young couple primarily chose to foster babies and toddlers because they didn’t believe they could help the older kids. Overall, the babies often stayed with the couple for just a few days, and this worked out well for Sara.

No Experience

Sara didn’t feel qualified or skilled enough to handle the older children in foster care. However, she had no idea that her next choice would upend her world in various ways. What happened to change her life so drastically?!

Stealing Their Hearts

The couple was excited to be assigned to a 3-year-old boy during the weekend. Michael was very sweet, but the short stay turned into months and then years. This little guy stole their hearts, though they received a knock at the door one day that upset them.

Emotional Embrace

Michael was not an only child, and his brother, 10-year-old Dayshawn, was at the door. The pair embraced and were quite emotional when they finally saw each other again. Sara was there for it all and decided to do something that might change their lives.

Too Young

Sara was just 23 when all this happened, and she was only 13 years older than Dayshawn. Fostering older kids was never a consideration because she worried she wouldn’t be good enough. However, they couldn’t live separately because they were brothers.

Decisions

Therefore, Sara had to think about Dayshawn moving into her home and being a foster mother to him, too. She wanted to care for the brothers because they required a forever home. However, things went south from there!

Romantic Feelings

Sara had her friends and family for support, and they never questioned her motives or choices. However, they were uneasy when she took Dayshawn into the home. They were incredibly close from the start, and everyone worried he had romantic feelings for Sara.

A Loving Family

Dayshawn struggled without a loving family to support him. Therefore, he had to grab the opportunity when she offered it. In fact, he did whatever he could to show this couple he was appreciative, which confused the others.

The Court Hearing

Sara and Stuart couldn’t let someone take Michael and Dayshawn away from them, so they chose to adopt the pair. It was a tedious and long process, which took a couple of years. Now, they were ready to hear what this judge would say.

Something to Say

Before the judge gave her verdict, Dayshawn stood up and spoke in a shaky voice. He asked the court to excuse the outburst and said that he wanted to say something. What did the judge do with the shock that unfolded?

Unpredictable

Dayshawn was now 13 years old, and Sara worried, along with her family and friends, about him going into puberty. He was often unpredictable with his behaviors, and it concerned them all. However, he showed them there was nothing to fear.

Silence

The room was now silent, and Sara and Stuart tensed. Dayshawn said that he wanted to make a confession to the courtroom, claiming that his mother, Sara, had built up a stronger bond with him. This couple loved both brothers, and they were proud to be their sons.

Filling with Emotion

The judge was very moved by the love in the courtroom that day. It even helped her make the tough decision in which she granted the couple’s adoption request. Did everyone feel the same as the judge? Were there issues later?

The Uproar

When the judge gave the judgment, the crowd became emotional. However, it was tears of joy, and no one seemed upset at all. Everyone was moved by what they’d seen and were excited for these brothers.

Not Finished

Dayshawn used heartfelt words to convince the judge that he and his brother should stay with Sara and Stuart. It was their forever home. The judge even wiped away tears and gave her approval. However, the young man knocked on the table to say more.

More Words

He continued to speak, saying that the family loved each other, and they were all together, which was the best thing for him and his brother. He was happy to have them in his life, and Sara started bawling once she heard those words.

Where They Belonged

Dayshawn’s speech caused everyone to cry again, and there were sniffles heard throughout the courtroom as he finished. This was an emotional moment shared by everyone, and the group realized these brothers were right where they belonged.

Still Not Done

Though Stuart was trying not to cry and hold his composure, Sara broke down into a blubbering mess. She couldn’t contain her tears. However, Dayshawn wasn’t finished and wanted to say a few more things.

Relief

The whole courtroom was crying, though Dayshawn continued talking. Now, he spoke directly to his adopted parents, saying they could be a family for real. Everyone was overjoyed that these two brothers hadn’t gotten lost within the foster system.

Final Words

Dayshawn was clearly relieved about that, too. He turned to his newly adopted parents and drove home that point, even though they were already crying. He said that he wished he could love these people forever.

Remembering That Day

Sara was an emotional wreck right now, but later, she described her feelings and thoughts on that day in August 2018. Every time she spoke on it, there were tears because of the many blessings she had.

The Rollercoaster

Sara said that it was the best moment of her entire life, even though she was on an emotional rollercoaster for much of it. There were mixed feelings, but she was still happy about her decision.

Bittersweet

Sara and Stuart were happy to be the legal guardians of two brothers. However, Dayshawn’s speech brought a little sadness to the mix. This new mother felt that no children should be grateful just to have a family that loved and supported them. It should be given.

Support

On the fateful day in the courtroom, Sara couldn’t contain her emotions. However, she also remembered Stuart and the loyal support system she had around her. Everyone was there for the couple and witnessed the whole thing, even crying along with her during the speech.

Watching Their Fight

Sara and Stuart had great supporters throughout the whole event. They supported this couple from the start and watched them fight for legal custody of the boys. It had taken three years, and everyone was happy it ended well.

Not the End

Everyone watched this family overcome each obstacle in their way. They got attached to the kids, and now they were recognized legally as the family they already knew they were. However, that wasn’t the ending for the story!

Final Details

The judge had made her ruling for Sara, Dayshawn, Stuart, and Michael to become a family legally. However, they felt they had to do one more thing to make it official. What could that have been?!

Name Changes

Now that the law recognized the family, they should all share a last name. Though mainly symbolic, it cemented the sons and parents together. Therefore, Dayshawn and Michael changed their last name to Shank, and the family was whole!

The Limo

That new family walked out of that courtroom to celebrate, and there was a beautiful limousine waiting to transport them home. Michael and Dayshawn were now officially the sons of Stuart and Sara, and they needed to go to the house in style.

Completely Thankful

Dayshawn was thankful for this blessing and gave one more speech in the vehicle. They rode around the city and were happy about this day. Still, there was one more question people had for the new family.

More Kids

This adoption process was finished, so now everyone wondered if the couple would open up their hearts and homes to more foster children. They took time to discuss the proposition, weighing everything to ensure they made the right choice.

Their Choice

Sara made a personal blog to explain the decision. During their adoption party, people were asking if they’d continue fostering children along with their adopted sons. The couple chose to do so, creating a specialized home.

Spreading Awareness

Sara’s blog was actually featured in LoveWhatMatters. There, she explained that they hoped to become a specialized foster home and focus on LGBTQ+ teens in the foster system. Why was that important to them?!

Family for All

Teen moms often have issues that affect their whole lives and even school. The same was true for LGBTQ+ teenagers. Therefore, the couple wished to provide a loving space to be while dealing with any problems the kids might face.

Committed

In the blog, Sara claimed that they weren’t better parents for those types of children. However, they were heartbroken to hear that teens often sat in social worker offices for months and years because there were no placement homes.

Never Stop

Sara, Stuart, and their sons are happy as a family. However, she wanted to foster more kids who needed love and support. With time, they realized that teens were more rewarding because they had past stories and traumas.

Not Dangerous

Sara realized that it wasn’t dangerous to foster teenagers as most people think. They’re not hurtful and don’t usually make trouble. In fact, bringing awareness through her blog has helped others decide to become foster parents!

The Way Forward

Most people don’t know that adoption can be a challenging process. They then back out of the choice because they don’t want to deal with lawyers and courtrooms. However, Sara’s put together materials to make the process simple for each state.