Woman Adopts Autistic Boy No One Wanted, Finds Him Sleeping under Bridge One Day — Story of the Day

A woman doesn't give up on a beautiful child with special needs and decides to adopt him. One day, she finds him sleeping under a bridge after running away from their home.

Catherine devoted most of her life to her career because she was determined not to live a life of poverty like her mom. "If we were to have children, I want to make sure we can afford to raise them responsibly and comfortably," she once told her boyfriend.

"I love you, Catherine," her boyfriend Callum assured her. "Whatever you think is best, I'll support your decision."

Catherine and Callum had a specific target amount they wanted to have in their bank accounts before deciding to have a child. Years passed, and they were yet to reach that amount. Catherine was losing hope that she'd ever become a mother.

"Maybe I'm just not meant to have a child," she cried to Callum one day. "I mean, I dedicated my life to my career for this long; even if I wanted to have a child, I'm already 43, and it's going to be too dangerous."

Callum had always wanted to be a father, but he loved Catherine so much that he waited for her to be ready to become a mom and never forced the issue. When she opened up about being afraid that she would never be a mother, he hinted at the idea of adoption.

"I'd still like to be a dad," he told her. "What do you say about other ways of trying for a child? Maybe IVF? Or we can even adopt," he suggested.

Catherine thought long and hard about this until she realized so many young boys and girls were longing for a loving home. "I think we should adopt a child," she concluded. "There are so many beautiful children out there who need loving parents. I'm sure we'll be able to find a good match."

The following day, Catherine and Callum decided to visit a foster care agency to declare their desire to adopt. They underwent the required "home study," which checks whether or not they're cleared to legally adopt.

After the home study, they were contacted by the agency about a young boy whom they were having difficulty putting into the foster care system. "As much as it breaks our heart, nobody wants to adopt the boy because of his special needs," a nurse admitted to Catherine and Callum.

As soon as she said this, Catherine turned her attention to the boy, who was quietly playing with a puzzle. "What a sweetheart," she sighed, leaning on Callum as they both observed the young boy.

"Adam is a sweetheart, yes, but he does have some episodes where he shuts down and refuses to engage with anyone. A family took him home but after a week together, they couldn't handle him, and they sent him back," the nurse explained.

Catherine continued to observe the boy while the nurse was talking. She felt a warmth inside her which drew her to Adam. "I think he's our son," she told Callum.

Callum supported Catherine, the same way he did through the years. However, deep inside, he was hesitant to adopt Adam because he was afraid they wouldn't be able to handle him.

He decided not to say anything because Catherine was so excited to take Adam home. On the first night home, Adam kept to himself and refused to make eye contact with either of them.

"Adam, I know this is all new to you, but I want you to know that we are here for you, and we always will be. Whenever you're ready, we would love to spend time with you, so we get to know each other more," Catherine told him.

"You'll leave, like they all do," Adam told her coldly.

As soon as he heard this, Adam burst into tears and ran out of the house. Catherine was about to rush after him, but Callum held her back. "Let him be, honey," he said, holding her arm. "We'll follow from a distance, but it's best to give him space."

They walked a couple of meters back, wondering where the boy was headed. Then, they noticed that he stopped at their town's underpass, where he sat on the curb as if he was waiting for someone.

That night, Catherine and Callum decided not to approach him. Instead, they waited for him to walk back to the neighborhood, where they welcomed him back home.

The same routine went on for a couple more days until Catherine couldn't take it anymore. "I have to ask him why he keeps going back to that underpass, Callum," she cried.

"Maybe he's unhappy," Callum replied. "Don't you think we should take him back? Maybe we can't handle him. I'm afraid he'll run away someplace else, and we won't be able to find him. He's our responsibility, honey," he said, trying to convince her.

"Callum, he's our son! You can't just give up on family. I'm going to stand by him no matter what happens," she insisted. "I'm going to go talk to him in a couple of minutes. He'll warm up to us soon, I just know he will."

After giving Adam some time alone, Catherine walked up to him when she saw that he had fallen asleep under the bridge. She quietly placed her jacket on top of Adam and sat beside him, but the action woke him up.

Adam glanced at Catherine quickly, before staring straight onto the road. The worried mom took this as her cue to start talking. "I enjoy listening to the sound of cars passing by, too," she told him, trying to break the ice.

"When I was your age, I would go to places that made me feel like home," she added, looking at him to see how he'd react. He slowly tilted his head and glanced at Catherine.

"How about you, Adam?" she asked, taking his glance as a go signal to continue the conversation. "Why do you like going back to the underpass?"

"I'm waiting for my dad," the boy quietly revealed. "He sleeps under the bridge, but I don't know why he isn't here. I can barely remember how he looks, but all I have to remember him is this old pair of ripped shoes."

Catherine's heart shattered upon hearing this since she knew from the nurse that used to care for Adam that his parents abandoned him in front of a community center.

"Sweetheart, I'm your mom, too. And Callum, he's your dad. Think of us as your second parents. We love you, and we'll always be here for you," Catherine said, trying to put an arm on Adam's shoulder.

"You'll leave, like they all do," Adam told her coldly.

"No, Adam. We won't leave you!" Catherine assured him, taking both his hands in hers. "Look at me, Adam. I know that it's been difficult for you, going from one home to another and having to meet so many people. But your dad Callum and I, we are here for you forever," she said.

"That's what they all say!" Adam shot back. "You'll promise me a good life with a happy family, and then when things get hard, you'll send me back to the nurse!"

Catherine couldn't help but cry, embracing Adam as he spoke. "I know you don't trust us right now, but please give us the chance to prove to you that we are your parents. We love you, Adam."

"Do you promise?" Adam said when they broke away from the hug.

"I promise," Catherine replied.

Adam nodded his head and wiped away his tears. "Okay, mom," he nodded. "I believe you."

Catherine did not give up on the boy, no matter how hard it got. While he no longer visited the underpass, there would still be instances when he'd prefer to be alone.

As time passed, however, his episodes lessened, and he became more and more comfortable with his parents. They spent time with him and took care of him well until he finally opened up to them as his family.

What can we learn from this story?

• It's never too late for new beginnings. Catherine and Callum thought it was too late for them to have a child, but they were given the opportunity to adopt Adam, who they wholeheartedly embraced as their own.
• You don't give up on the people you love. Catherine and Callum knew the difficulties that came with adopting Adam, but they fought through all of them and powered through until Adam accepted and loved them as his parents.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a rich orphan who visited his foster family ten years after moving out, only to find their house dilapidated.

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.