Students and staff tell their stories about adoption

By Rory White, STAFF WRITER

Sanford, MAINE- Nov. 23 is National Adoption Day and we are celebrating by sharing some Sanford High School adoption stories.

I put out a Google form in the Daily Announcements asking people their name, grade, and their story. I have gotten a solid amount of responses from students and staff alike. Some were adopted or have someone in their family who was adopted. 

The first person who responded was School Counseling Director, Beth Letourneau. She and her husband adopted two sons through the State of Maine. Her oldest came to her at 14 months old, and his name is Cash. Her other son, Mack, came to her at 3 weeks old. Cash is currently 11 years old and Mack is 6 years old. 

“Adoption is not meant to be a secret but rather something that is shared,” says Letourneau. 

She also wants to note that their birth families love them very much but unfortunately cannot care for them. Letourneau also wants to note that she is very proud of her boys and is thrilled to be their mom. 

The second story that was put into the form was a freshman who wanted to remain unnamed. They originally lived with their birth mother who had an addiction to drugs and ultimately overdosed. This person was then sent to their grandmother’s but she was too old to take care of them and asked her siblings for help.

This person ended up going to Alta Vista which is a temporary home for boys, and they stayed for two years. They ended up going to another home for boys called Saint Johns until their great grandmother was able to take care of them, but unfortunately she was still unfit so they stayed until they were 12 years old. 

According to them their grandfather came along and was taking care of them because “he failed to take care of my mom when she was young so he thinks taking care of me will give him closure for what he didn’t do.” 

This person was adopted by their grandfather and now lives with him and their stepmom. They also want to note that they will never forget the people at Saint John’s (William,Morgan,Kenny,Terry, and Chris) who helped them change from an angry person who hated everyone to the person they are now. 

“Even though they dont take care of me I still love them for what they did for me,” they noted in the form. 

The next person who responded was Sadie Sevigny and she is a Senior. She wasn’t adopted but her little sister, Sophie, was. Sadie shared that one day when she was younger, it was very confusing because her mother was not pregnant but she came home with a new sibling. However, Sadie says that she felt immediate love with her new sister when they first brought her home at 4 months. Now Sophie is in the 8th grade and is absolutely thriving. 

“Sophie has been a part of our family since she was 4 months old, and I have never considered her anything but a sister, biological or not it doesn’t matter,” says Sadie.

The last story I have to tell is my own. When I was younger, much younger, I lived with my birth mother and father. They weren’t married to each other and both had addiction and mental health problems, and behavioral health problems. CPS and DHHS had them surrender me and my two siblings to the state.

Our birth grandparents adopted my older brother and sister and I went into foster care for two years with Rachel and John White. On Feb. 10, 2010 I went to court and was officially adopted but that doesn’t mean foster care wasn’t rough. A few times my birth parents were “ready” to take me back but ultimately proved otherwise. They had visitation rights for a while but these got revoked.

I’m so happy I was adopted because my parents have given me everything I need to succeed. Adoption doesn’t come without challenges- I’m grateful to have such loving parents who weren’t like one of the horror stories many of us hear about, but it’s tough not knowing my medical history.

Ultimately, I haven’t heard from my birth mother and my birth father, who still struggle with their own issues and the law.

My birth brother also struggles with his own challenges. My birth sister is finishing her senior year of high school and we are still very close. 

Truthfully, I’ve struggled with my mental health many times and it always tracks back to my birth family which is hard but I have such a supportive family now and I love them more than anything.

I hope this article can show the positive parts of adoption and how it can change lives for the better, but the foster system still needs so much support so that other children can have success stories like ours.

Happy National Adoption Day to all those who have found their new families.