I have a big heart for people who love children. I have an even bigger heart for those who choose to foster and/or adopt children. Of course, nobody is obligated to raise or care for children in their lifetime, but it just brings a big smile to my face when people have a passion for making children’s lives better, especially those who would otherwise be less fortuante.
Lamont Thomas from Buffalo, New York is one of those people and certainly someone I have a lot of respect for. He’s single, but his marital status didn’t stop him from pursuing his dream of raising a big family beyond his two biological kids.
Over the past two decades, Thomas has fostered 30 children, permanently impacting their lives for the better as they reached adulthood with a great set of skills and a strong sense of discipline thanks to the father’s parental guidance. This is something he has been doing since 2000 and doesn’t seem to want to stop anytime soon.
“In the beginning, I was helping out some friends. They had lost their child to the system,” the father said. “I went on and got certified and became a foster parent. I haven’t stopped since.”
But fostering wasn’t enough; the kind-hearted man wanted to do more. So, he decided to adopt so that he would then have 12 children under his roof at once. Yes, really!
In fact, in October 17 of last year, Thomas made the very brave decision to not just adopt one child but five siblings, all of whom were at or under the age of five at the time of adoption. Judge Lisa Rodwin was excited that 5-year-old Zendaya, 4-year-old Jamel, 3-year-old Nakia, 2-year-old Major, and 1-year-old Michaela were all able to get situated underneath the same roof with a man who has several years of parenting experience underneath his sleeves.
There’s no doubt that adopting five children, let alone children at such a delicate age, would be a hefty task, but it was one that Thomas was up for. The love in his heart was much greater than the worries that flooded his mind regarding adding so many children under his roof at the same time.
Adopting five kiddos at once is something Thomas has no regrets over.
“They bring new energy to me. They’re lovable kids, very affectionate,” Thomas said.” “They deserve to be raised as siblings, and that was my fight.”
I agree that siblings up for adoption should have the opportunity to be raised under the same roof. For many children, it brings a greater sense of stability, which many children in the adoption and foster care system sometimes lack.
He’s a great man and father, no doubt! Learn more about Thomas’s big adoption below.
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