Teen Surprises Emotional Stepdad With Adoption Papers for The Holiday
1010 WINS- This should teach parents to never assume that their kids are going to just go for the standard 'cute gift' for the holidays. This stepdad was left speechless after he opened his Christmas present.
Stephen Dabney was brought to tears when his stepdaughter Makayla asked if he would adopt her. Stephen has helped raise Makayla for the past 15 years, but never imagined she would want to take his last name.
"I jokingly call my wife my value meal -- she came with a small fry," Dabney tells 1010 WINS. "When I first met my wife, I handed her my business card and she looked at me and said, 'I have a daughter, do you want this back?' I smiled and said no."
See Also: Surprise! Man Gives Step-Father Adoption Papers After 30 Years
"I myself was raised by a stepfather, Dabney explains, "and my father never once treated me like a stepson. I always felt like part of the family and it was something I always wanted to give back myself."
Since posting the emotional video, the family has received numerous messages of support and Dabney says while he appreciates all of the kind words, he'd like for people to understand take away the notion that "whether you're a father, a stepfather, brother, sister, or mother -- at the end of the day, family is about love. Give that and everything will hopefully turn out fine."
While this present might have been a lot of work to get open, what was inside was well worth the wait! Watch the full video below.
-Kayla Jardine/Joe Cingrana
