A local couple decided to adopt and give the gift of family to a child in need. But as it turns out, they say he has been the true gift. This is Angel's success story, after a rough start in life.
The wildfires of 2007 contributed to the chaos for a baby named Angel, as his social workers scrambled to find him a place to live.
"He tested positive for methamphetamine at birth and immediately he was removed from his biological parents," explained Gloria.
By the time Gloria and Carlos welcomed Angel into their family he was six-months-old and had been moved three times.
"Because he had already been in three different placements, he had the propensity for developing social attachment issues," Gloria continued.
But three years later, Angel is now flourishing, overcoming both physical and verbal delays.
"We're still working on the speech, but he's doing very, very well. It's really been a miracle, and we've been very fortunate," said Gloria.
Gloria and Carlos have two grown sons
"My oldest one is 23, and my middle one is 18, and then I have Angel, my three-year-old," Gloria added.
"We were done, we were empty nesters then after our 20th wedding anniversary, we kind of wanted to start all over and we saw an ad about adoptions and foster care," noted Carlos.
They became foster parents through La Cuna, which is Spanish for cradle, a non-profit that works with San Diego County Adoptions to find homes for Latino children.
"It's so sad for me to think, what if I didn't make the call," Gloria said. "I remember the day my husband and I made the call to do it. My husband said go for it, do it, let's do it and that day has changed us forever."
They were eventually able to adopt Angel, who has enriched their lives in a way they never thought possible.
"We always say we asked God for a baby and we got an Angel, and it really has benefited my children," Gloria added.
Their biological sons now have a deeper appreciation of family and community and will likely adopt one day as well, fully aware of the life-changing impact it's had on angel, who has become an ambassador for adoption.
"He went to the White House, he received a special award called Angels in Adoption, his name is Angel, so we went all the way to the white house, we went to Capitol Hill," explained Gloria.
And they continue to share Angel's story, hoping it will inspire others.
"Love moves mountains and there are so many children who need what Angel has, love," Gloria said. "So if people are thinking of it, this is for you because you don't even know what's out there behind the door until you give a call and try. For us, it made the world of difference for my family and my children."
If you are interested in adopting from foster care, or becoming a foster family, call 1-877-I-ADOPT-U to learn more about getting started or go to their website to take that first step and fill out an adoption form.
