“I think the teen years might get glossed over in some more traditional households. I’m cherishing every moment I can.”

Mike is a single dad to two sons: his eldest is turning 20 this month, and his youngest is 16. They found each other through You Gotta Believe (YGB), a remarkable NY-based agency dedicated to matching forever parents with older youth in foster care. While many assume that legal adoption is the typical route for forming a family through foster care, YGB families often choose “moral adoption,” which is the path Mike and his sons have taken.

Moral adoption is a parent’s unconditional, lifelong commitment to a child without the need for a legal document. Though not legally binding, it carries immense emotional significance and stands as a testament to the enduring power of family.

Watch this conversation between Brian and Mike to learn more about his extraordinary journey into fatherhood.

Learn more about how to become a parent through foster care.