One family's adoption story and how you can learn more
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Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios. Source: Barker Adoption Foundation
In a new People magazine article, Axios CEO Jim VandeHei and his wife, Autumn VandeHei, tell how they adopted their son Kelvin — now 19 and a confident, engaging college soccer player.
- "You have to go in with a clear eye that there's no easy fairy tale to foster care or adoption," Jim told People. "It is hard, but it's also beautiful and highly rewarding ... If I were to die tomorrow, I would say [adopting Kelvin] was the most meaningful decision I've ever made in my life."
Why it matters: May is National Foster Care Month. The VandeHeis hope Kelvin's story will encourage other families to take the leap of faith that they did five years ago, when Kelvin was 14.
Between the lines: The People interview dropped in conjunction with Jim's book of life and leadership lessons, "Just the Good Stuff." A chapter about Kelvin is called "Miracle Man."
- The VandeHeis got to know Kelvin years earlier, when he played with their son James for Alexandria (Va.) Soccer Association's Academy program.
- Kelvin lost his mom at 3. He was 9 when his dad died of cancer. He spent several years with relatives. But as Kelvin tells it, he became sad and angry. He reached out to the VandeHeis for help.
The backstory: "Four days after the VandeHeis worked it out with his relatives," People writes, "Kelvin was at their door with a box that contained his papers and birth certificate and a suitcase with all of his clothes."
- "I couldn't sleep thinking about how much my life was going to change and feeling helpless," Kelvin said about his first night at the VandeHeis' Virginia home. "I was questioning God if he was real — and if he was, why did he do such a thing to me?"
Autumn VandeHei told People that it's "frustrating when people tell her Kelvin was 'so lucky to get you'":
"No, he wasn't. His parents died, he went through horrific loss and trauma that no child should ever have to experience ... What came out of it was not us molding Kelvin. He had put on armor and finally felt secure enough to take the armor off and fully become Kelvin."
What's next: If you want more information on adoption or becoming a foster parent, here are some of the groups worth consulting.
- America's Kids Belong has teams in nine states to help connect kids with families: California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, South Dakota, Tennessee and Virginia.
- The Barker Adoption Foundation is a nonprofit adoption agency licensed in Maryland, Virginia and D.C.
- AdoptUSKids is a national project working to connect children and teens in foster care with "safe, loving, permanent families." Great stories, info.
- The Selfless Love Foundation, based in Florida, helps connect families with children who are available for adoption — and focuses on foster kids' journey to adulthood, including job training, housing and higher education.
Go deeper: Read the People story ... Get the book.
