Childless Nurse Adopts Critically Ill Boy after Caring for Him in the ICU: 'He Has Blessed Our Lives'

A primary care nurse in Illinois made a heartfelt decision that would change the rest of her life and that of a one-year-old boy, Blaze. The duo now enjoys every bit of their time as mother and son.

June 8, 2018, marked the beginning of the motherhood journey for Illinois nurse Angela Farnan. Luckily, she had over three decades of on-the-job experience to help her navigate her new role.

The woman, who had worked as an ICU nurse for thirty-two years, felt an instant connection when she laid eyes on baby Blaze, who was born with a congenital heart condition.

The infant was admitted at OSF Children’s Hospital, Illinois, soon after his birth in May 2017, spending the days that followed at the pediatric intensive care unit.

Farnan, who worked in the ICU, described her connection to the child as love at first sight. Like every other patient she’s met in the last three decades, she treated Blaze as her child.

Just three days after his birth, the child underwent surgery as part of his hypoplastic left heart syndrome treatment. Ten months later, he went under the knife a second time to treat his condition.

All the while, Farnan stayed by his side, nursing him back to health along with her colleagues. But, unfortunately, his biological family lived miles away and were unprepared to bear the financial burden that came with Blaze’s disease.

Hence, the nurse was forced to secure short-term guardianship of the boy. Blaze’s mom approached the kind nurse after his second surgery, tearfully asking her to adopt the child.

Despite knowing what lay ahead in Blaze’s future, including a grueling third surgery and a possible heart transplant, all requiring large sums of money, Farnan was glad to oblige. She recalled:

“It was quite an emotional day because my husband and I fell in love with him and it was getting closer and closer to when we had to give him back.”

While Blaze’s biological mother worried the world might tag her as a bad mom for giving up her child, Farnan and her husband, who never had kids of their own, saw it as their silver lining.

They took on the responsibility for the boy immediately and began the adoption procedure, which was finalized in June 2018. Sharing her feelings, the first-time mom divulged:

“Becoming a parent for the first time, I can’t describe the feeling. It was one of the best days of our lives.”

The couple has since spent every waking moment loving their son and showering him with all the care they could provide. Farnan

:

“I really feel that he has blessed our lives. He’s full of joy. His smile lights up the room.”

Luckily, they have help from the other ICU nurses who grew fond of the boy during his stay at the hospital and remain unwilling to let him off the hook.

Over time, this slew of “ultra-qualified helpers, eager to spend time with Blaze, have become a part of Farnan’s family, all thanks to their beautiful son. Little wonder the Illinois couple describe him as a blessing to their lives.