JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
In 1998 a child was removed from his family because of extreme physical abuse that resulted in brain injuries.
Those injuries have left him with impaired functioning.
His name is Jeff and he spent at least a decade being placed in a variety of settings.
This week, a Wednesday's Child success story.
Jeff has finally found a place he can truly call home.
Jeff had given up on ever finding a forever family.
He had spent the last 3 years living with Carolyn as one of her foster children.
Jeff was about to be emancipated from the system because of his age.
"Jeff was going to have to go some place and I did not know where he was going to go," Carolyn said.
Jeff who is now 19 years old had no idea Carolyn planned to make it official by adopting him.
They arrived at the courthouse in Hattiesburg, but Carolyn who had recently had surgery felt weak.
"This particular day I was on cloud 15 so I was just bouncing up the sidewalk you know with some pep in my step," Carolyn said. "Jeff helped me up the steps and I walked in and I said okay I'm going through, and I just passed out."
Pictures from that day show Carolyn was determined not to allow anything to get in her way.
With EMTs and an ambulance waiting she refused to leave without seeing the judge.
"He said mam we can't let you move, you may have to go to the hospital," Carolyn said. "I said, oh no, no one is taking me to the hospital. I'm going upstairs, don't you understand. Everybody from the courtroom came down to the first floor to the entrance and that's where the adoption process took place."
"It's incredible. It's very, I can't explain it, it's just amazing," Jeff said.
Sue Cherney, the Executive Director for Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth, says other children are still waiting and need forever families.
"These are older children, they're sibling groups, they're kids with handicapping conditions, emotional, behavioral problems," Cherney said. "Nobody's excited about them and we have to get people excited about them to help them find forever families."
This year Southern Christian Services presented Carolyn and Jeff with the Adoption Angel Award.
Jeff has a hard time expressing himself but told us his smile says it all.
"I'll stay by her side till I die," Jeff said. "I won't move anywhere, I'll just stay by her side. That's all."
Carolyn also has three adult children.
For more information please call the Mississippi Adoption Resource Exchange at 1-800-821-9157.
Wednesday's Child is sponsored by Wendy's and WLBT.
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