Widower Adopts Girl with Down Syndrome, 20 Years Later Bio Father Appears at Her Wedding – Story of the Day

A grieving widower adopted a girl with Down syndrome and raised her with love. She helped him battle with his grief and became his family. But 20 years later, on her wedding day, her bio father turned up at her wedding, and it was all a mess.

Dalton was as still as a corpse as he stared at the fresh mound of Earth beneath which his wife, Laura, lay.

The day had been pleasant, with the sun shining brightly in the afternoon sky, birds chirping in the distance, and a gentle wind blowing through the city. But for Dalton, saying he hated the day would be an understatement. He despised it.

That morning took his Laura away from him in a car crash, and he could do nothing to save her.

"Please take care, Dalton. Let us know if you need any help," someone said as they left after the burial, but Dalton didn't utter a word.

He sat near Laura's grave all afternoon and evening, and by the time he got home, it was late at night. He could feel her presence as he entered the house, and when he lay on their bed, he could still smell her scent on her side.

"If only I knew we had this little time, I would have been by your side forever," he told himself, staring at her side as his tears continued to fall. The realization that Laura was gone and he was alone had begun to settle on him, and he was shredded into pieces, to say the least.

"Can I see Lily for once? I'm her father, James. This is her room, right?" the man asked, his voice breaking, and Dalton's rage knew no bounds.

Months passed. Dalton was still grieving Laura's loss and had closed his heart to love. Nobody would ever replace Laura in his life. Never. He knew that.

But as the saying goes, change is the only constant. Everything changed one day for Dalton too, and it all happened unexpectedly…

"...You can be THE family they yearn for. With countless children living without families, the need for one has never been greater. You can bring about change; open your heart to a child and bring them to a loving home," read an ad that popped on Dalton's computer.

Reluctantly, he clicked on it and started checking the website. It was about foster care adoption, and after going through it, he felt this could turn his life around.

Dalton and Laura had always wanted children. He never imagined he would be raising one without her, but she would be happy to see him give a home to a child in need. He hoped that even though she was far away, she would be proud of him.

So Dalton registered on the website, and after completing his foster parent certification, came the big day.

He met several children at the shelter, but his heart went out to a five-year-old little girl with Down syndrome. She was sitting in a corner, shyly, not interacting much.

Dalton approached her with a smile. "Hi there. I'm Dalton. You're Lily, right?"

She smiled. "I am," she said. "Are you goin be my daddy?" she asked, looking at her toys and then at him.

"Well, only if you'd like that," said Dalton. "Would you?"

Lily nodded her head happily, clapping her hands. "Daddy!" she chirped. And at that point, Dalton knew he would do anything to give her a loving home.

Back at the office, as Dalton was finishing the remaining paperwork, the social worker asked him if he was sure. Due to Lily's condition, no family ever stepped up for her.

"You do realize she is a special needs child, don't you?" inquired the worker. "Why would you choose her over the other children? None of the families we met agreed to take her in."

"Well," Dalton said, smiling. "Aren't all kids special with different/special needs? In fact, aren't all of us special in a way with different needs? I'd love to be her dad, and I will try my best to give her a happy home..." And well, he did that.

For Dalton, Lily meant the world, and there was nothing in the world he would trade her for. Yes, there were hard times because he was a single man who had never raised a child, but those problems were nothing compared to his love for Lily. She was his daughter, and he loved her.

However, as Lily grew up, Dalton always feared what would happen when he wasn't around her. He didn't want her to face any more struggles than she already had after being abandoned by her mother at birth.

As a result, when Lily was 25, and she brought over a handsome man and introduced him as her fiancé to Dalton, he was skeptical if the guy was the right choice for his daughter.

"Would you mind if we talked alone, sweetie?" Dalton excused himself and Aaron. "We'd like to talk about some things quickly."

As Lily left, Dalton asked Aaron, "You know what you're doing here, don't you? My daughter…she might be different in the eyes of the world, but for me, she will always be very special. Not someone with special needs. But someone who needs a loving home and partner, much like we all do!"

Aaron smiled. "But aren't we all special in a way? I mean, we're all unique people with different/special needs. I love Lily. Trust me. I will keep her happy. That's a promise from me to you..."

When Dalton heard that, he was reminded of the day the social worker had asked him why he wanted Lily. His answer had been no different, and he knew Aaron would keep Lily happy and follow through with his promise.

Dalton happily gave his blessing to Aaron and Lily.

On her wedding day, as Lily stood in her satin bridal gown in her room, Dalton's tears didn't stop. She was the most beautiful bride in his eyes, and he would miss her presence in their house. He really would.

Wiping his tears, he held her hands in his and kissed her on the forehead. "I'll miss you, honey. I will. I wish you a happy married life," he said.

Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupted them. "I'll check who it is," he said.

Dalton opened the door, and in the doorway was a man with tears in his eyes.

"Yes, sir? How can I help?" Dalton asked.

"Can I see Lily for once? I'm her father, James. This is her room, right?" the man asked, his voice breaking, and Dalton's rage knew no bounds.

"You're here for her after you left her? I am her father! I legally adopted her! Get lost!" he screamed so loudly that it made Lily turn to look at them.

"Dad? What's wrong?" she asked. "Please don't stress yourself. Who is he?"

"I'm so sorry, honey." James began to cry. "I - I am your father. I didn't even know you existed. My ex-girlfriend was 18 when she had you. When we went our separate ways, I had no idea she was pregnant with you.

"A few months ago, I got a letter from her. She told me she was dying and it was her last wish that I see you. I'm sorry it took me months to find you. I was hesitant to come here after discovering you had a loving father, but I couldn't hold myself back. I'm sorry…."

"Dad…" said Lily to Dalton. "We should forgive him."

"What? Honey, but…"

"For my sake, dad," Lily said. "It isn't anyone's fault. I don't blame my mother for leaving me. I would have forgiven her if she had come to take me back. I had you as a father all my life, and I couldn't have asked for more. And my biological dad did come back to me, and I am happy about that too. Please?"

For Lily's sake, Dalton decided to leave the past behind them, though reluctantly.

"I would like both my dads to walk me down the aisle, if that's okay with you two," Lily added. "What do you think?"

The two fathers couldn't bring themselves to say no. They both adored Lily, though they met her at different points in her life. And when Lily and Aaron exchanged their "I dos," they both cried watching their daughter embark on a beautiful journey.

What can we learn from this story?

• We are all different/special in a way, and we all have different needs. Lily was a lovely girl with special needs, and the only thing she lacked was a loving home. After Dalton adopted her, she finally found that.
• It's not easy to forgive, but a strong heart can and should. Even though Lily's biological parents were absent for the majority of her upbringing, she forgave them and held no grudges as she looked forward to a new life with her husband.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a poor man who was torn apart when an orphan girl ran up to him and called him dad.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.