Special Adventures with Forever Family
Through the Foundation’s Wendy’s Wonderful Kids® program, thousands of youth who were previously lingering in foster care across the United States and Canada are now experiencing the joy and belonging that comes with being part of a permanent family.
For some of these youth, adoption has led to exciting adventures and opportunities to explore other parts of the world. But what matters most to them? Experiencing special memories and everyday moments with a loving family who will always be there ❤️
Christian spent more than five years in foster care, often separated from his brother Brody. Thankfully, his story changed when Sean adopted him, with help from Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiter, Cyndi. Today, the brothers are growing up together — and their world has become much bigger 🌎
“It was his first time on a plane when I took them to New York last year,” Sean shared about Christian. “I looked over and pointed and showed him he was in the air, and his eyes just got really big, and he got really excited.”
One of the highlights of the trip for Christian was going to the zoo. The adventures didn’t stop there.
“Brody has been to six countries. Christian has been to four. We’ve been to Belize, Bermuda, we went to the Dominican Republic last year, and we went to Turks and Caicos,” Sean said. Brody added, “The zip line was fun, and the diving was fun.”
Not only are the boys making special memories together — they are learning about different communities, perspectives and ways of life. “I think it’s important for people to have a view of other cultures and to learn and experience life outside of the station that they’ve been assigned to. And so that’s what I want for my boys,” Sean said.
“This year, we went on a cruise to Jamaica and to the Cayman Islands, and we really just made some memories and had some adventures that I think we’ll remember the rest of our lives.”
Siblings Isaiah, Jordan and Sophia were also separated in foster care. They lived in many homes before they were finally reunited and adopted together with help from the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and their Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiter, Anna.
Today, the siblings enjoy exploring the world with their dads, Shane and Adrian. Some of their favorite trips have included Barcelona, London, France, Sequoia National Park and Disneyland. Most recently, the boys went on a safari trip in Tanzania, and Sophia was able to spend time with her dads at one of her favorite places — Cinderella’s castle.
“We’ve done everything from the beaches to the mountains. We’ve seen big cities. We’ve gone to the swamps,” Shane said.
“As an educator, I don’t believe learning is sitting in a classroom,” Adrian shared. “I wanted them to learn about the world by actually being out there and experiencing the world.”
You can make a world of difference for youth like Christian, Brody, Isaiah, Jordan and Sophia who are still waiting for a forever family to share special memories with right now. Learn more about how you can get involved and join our caring community that makes stories like these possible.
