The US foster care system can be cruel, especially when siblings have separated. Being removed from the family and placed in a foreign environment can be stressful for children. Unfortunately, this is the reality for many children in the US. According to the American Society for the Positive Care of Children, there are over 437,000 children and youth in foster care (US SPCC).
For several years, the two young brothers were kept in orphanages. They only saw each other once a month. After taking some much-needed time to recover from their ordeal, the siblings desperately tried to live together again.
All their hopes finally came true in July 2018, when a man decided to adopt them both at once. After spending so much time apart, they were finally able to come together as a family. The brothers are named Tre and Ke’lynn and originally told their tragic stories in the news in October 2017 when they were 10 and 7 years old. Before that, they spent virtually all of three and a half years in child protective custody in Texas, living in various foster homes. When they finally saw each other, the boys sobbed uncontrollably. They eagerly awaited the day when they would be formally reunited. In November 2017, a doctor named Robert Beck came forward and vowed to do everything in his power to fulfill the dream of reuniting these boys.
Beck was moved to care for the children and give them the permanent home they deserved after seeing the news and hearing their heartbreaking story. Finally, in July 2018, Beck unexpectedly adopted both of his brothers at once, making Beck, Tre, and Ke’lynn a family. Tre and Ke’lynn were the subjects of Wednesday’s Child Report on WFAA in October 2017. The segment detailed the boys’ painful experience overcoming early childhood trauma while living in separate foster homes.
The brothers were the only ones they had, so they could only see each other once a month and they longed to be together all the time. Ke’lynn commented, “I want to see him every day, but I don’t.” A month later, Beck decided to act. He was adopted himself, and according to WFAA, he had previously adopted a cub from a previous report about the child on Wednesday. He said: “I cried mainly because it really touched my heart and I had an instant connection with the boys and I said I have to figure out a way to bring these boys home and learn more about them. “
Tre and Ke’lynn have been living with Beck ever since, but nothing was ever set in stone. It would take some time to complete the admission process. That moment came in July 2018. According to WFAA, neither brother anticipated what would happen when they walked into a North Texas courtroom on July 18, 2018. They initially assumed they were just taking pictures, but soon found out they were adopted, giving them the surprise of a lifetime. The fact that they were adopted together added to the significance of the event. The prospect of a joint future pleased both brothers. “I was adopted and I feel good,” one brother commented.
When asked what happens next, Tre grinned and replied, “I’m going home.”
“It’s just so special to be able to give them a lifetime home and know they’re mine forever,” said Dr. Beck.
I love them, with all my heart,” Dr. Beck said when asked what the boys mean to him.
According to the American Society for Positive Child Care, there are over 437,000 children and youth in foster care in the United States (US SPCC). Additionally, it takes years for children to be adopted, and those who do not find a permanent home move between families and group homes into adulthood, never leaving the system. According to the US SPCC, there are currently over 118,000 children available for adoption in the country, with many waiting three to four years. The organization also drew attention to the fact that there are 52% more boys in foster care than girls, i.e. 48%.
The US SPCC highlighted the emotional toll that separation from home has on children: “As a result of this relocation, they face a unique set of emotional, social and academic difficulties. They often struggle with loss, guilt, anger, depression.” loneliness, anxiety, low self-esteem, and mental and physical health problems. Additionally, 20,500 teenagers leave foster care without being adopted or reunited with their families.” Tre and Ke’lynn may have ended up in this situation, but luckily Dr. Beck intervened and saved their lives.
Dr. Beck’s adoption of Tre and Ke’lynn is a moving example of how compassion and love can improve the lives of children in foster care. He made the unusual decision to adopt the brothers together, which gave Tre and Ke’lynn a sense of security and home.
Tre and Ke’lynn’s story serves as a reminder of the importance of helping foster parents.