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Georgia — Christian was placed in foster care after experiencing neglect in his biological family. After spending more than five years in care, often separated from his brother Brody, Christian was tired of being alone.  

“I missed Brody … I wanted to live with him,” he shared. 

When Christian was referred to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption’s Wendy’s Wonderful Kids^® program and adoption recruiter, Cyndi, from Bethany Christian Services, became part of his care team, she saw the importance of Christian’s relationship with Brody right away. “It was always the first question — ‘when am I going to see Brody?’” she said. 

Cyndi is an active advocate for children like Christian and has been serving youth in foster care for more than 10 years.  

“Giving a child someone that they know that they can trust and speak to and be heard, it’s very important,” she said.  

And that’s what she did for Christian.  

When she discovered that Brody was adopted by Sean a few years earlier, she thought he might be Christian’s forever family too. She got to know Sean and Brody and then arranged for Christian to visit.  

“I was happy because my brother was coming,” Brody shared. 

One of those visits happened over the holidays. The boys spent a special day sharing Sean’s Christmas traditions. They made breakfast together, opened presents, played with their toys and visited Sean’s parents.   

“Seeing the boys together on Christmas morning just melted my heart, and I knew that I needed to keep them together,” Sean said. “It just felt like home.”  

Cyndi could see the positive bonds forming too. “All the progress he had made with Brody and his structure, the way he parented, his nurturing … when you meet somebody, and you just feel ‘This is right’ — That’s how I felt with Sean,” she said. 

With help from Cyndi and the Foundation’s supporters, Christian was adopted at age 13. He even got to sit in the judge’s chair and tap the gavel. He described it as the “best day ever.”  

“I’d always wanted to be a dad,” Sean said. “It’s been a dream that I’ve had for most of my life, and to have it come true is just a godsend … I couldn’t have done it without Cyndi.” 

Now, Christian and Brody are creating special memories with their dad. They visited New York, which was Christian’s first time on a plane, and they’ve traveled to Belize, Bermuda, the Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos together.  

“Seeing the boys now in the home that they’re in, especially seeing brothers together fills my heart,” Cyndi said. She has a message for anyone considering adoption: “Everyone is looking for a sign. There are signs everywhere. Kids need families. There is nothing better in this world that you could do to make a difference in a child’s life.” 

For Christian, that difference is clear. 

“I have family — I feel happy with dad and Brody,” he said with a smile. 

If you have room in your home or in your heart, you can help a child, like Christian, waiting for a family right now. Explore ways to get involved and join our caring community that makes stories like these possible.