Couple 'Adopts' Elderly Childless Widow So They Can Care For Her till the End of Her Days

After a couple decided to move from Quebec to the seaside of eastern Canada, they adopted an elderly lonely widow with no heir, who has depended on them for more than twenty years.

Marike Finlay and Karin Cope, professors at McGill University, made friends with a lonely widow twenty years their senior and decided to become her family while settling on the Nova Scotia coast.

The couple never regretted the decision. 86-year-old Bigras, a retired psychiatrist, has never been a bother even in her old age. She cooks and contributes to the welfare of her adopted family home.

WHY FINLAY MOVED

Finlay met her aged friend through Julien. Julien, now deceased, was married to Bigras, and when he died, the women became inseparable. They scheduled sailing trips, touring along Canada's East Coast.

The professor was fascinated by the remarkable beauty of the coastal area, so she persuaded her partner to move to the eastern coast about two decades ago.

THE BOND BETWEEN THEM

Bigras has not been a handful for the couple despite being an old widow. Over the years, she has tried to play a vital role in home management by sharing the financial responsibilities equally.

They decided that the financial burden should fall on the wealthier person as time went on. Still, it has not been an issue. At 86, she helps out in the kitchen and admits that choosing to stay with the couple is a dream come true. According to Bigras:

"It was beautiful. It was exactly what I would have wished for."

BIGRAS'S VIEW ON OLD AGE

While the retired psychiatrist is enthralled by the couple's politeness and genuine love, she explained that old age presented her with losses. Bigras has lost her friends, loved ones, and hearing, which affected her passion for music.

However, she found a new fondness for photography. Bigras would remain behind during hikes with the couple to get the best pictures. When they eventually found her, she would be sprawled on the floor, taking photos.

The professors are usually frightened by the habit, as they always think she is dead. But the psychiatrist-turned-photographer thinks her newfound devotion is helpful. In her words:

"If you can work to find inside yourself what fascinates you, what you can have a passion for, it helps a lot."

Bigras' adopted family adores her, and even though Finlay and Cope's relatives are yet to accept the elderly widow, their community is in awe of their unique home.

ANOTHER FAMILY ADOPTS A GROWN ADULT

In 2010, the Smith family asked a 22-year-old man to become their son. This was never in their plan, but fate made it happen. Charee Godwin-Smith was a development director at home for abused and neglected kids when she met Billy.

The then 14-year-old was friendly with the director and often visited her office to take candies and crack her up with his sense of humor. Charee became familiar with him and invited Billy to her home.

Over the years, the family bonded and trusted their daughters with Billy, who babysat the girls. He often visited and even introduced his girlfriends to Charee and her husband, Kerry.

In February 2009, Charee, who had been listed as Billy's next of kin when his mother died, asked if the young man wanted to be a part of their family. Billy jumped at the idea and has since committed to being a good son to his parents and sisters.