Florida Firefighter Who Struggled to Become a Dad for a Decade Finds Abandoned Baby: 'This Was God Helping Us Out'

• A firefighter's life changed during one night shift.
• He was awoken by an alarm that he first believed was false.
• He had no idea then the sound would lead him to his and his wife's long-awaited blessing.

What was thought to be a usual night shift for an Ocala, Florida firefighter turned into a night that would change his and his family's life forever.

The firefighter has chosen to remain anonymous, but his story of starting a family felt like a miracle to him and his wife.

After trying for ten years, the couple had struggled to have a baby, but their miracle baby was delivered to them in the most unexpected way.

Firefighter Finds a Child in a Safe Heaven Box

During his night shift, the Florida firefighter was woken by an alarm at around 2:00 a.m. He recognized the sound and thought it was a false alarm. But he went to have a look anyway.

The sound indicated that a newborn child had been placed in the Safe Haven Baby Box, which is a system that allows people to give up a child with no questions asked.

When the firefighter opened the box, he saw a beautiful and healthy baby girl, Zoey, wrapped in a pink blanket. The firefighter remembered the baby had a bottle next to her as she quietly lay in the box. Then he picked her up, and as soon as they locked eyes, he fell in love.

The reality and possibility of taking a baby home to his wife had his mind all over the place, but the firefighter did not want to call her before he could figure out the adoption process.

In addition to being a firefighter, he was also a paramedic, so he wrote a letter explaining that he and his wife had been trying to have a child for the past decade.

They had taken all the classes needed by the state of Florida and even registered to adopt; all that was felt for them was to find their baby. The excited father-to-be did not know if his letter would be acknowledged, but he went home and told his wife the exciting news.

Bringing Baby Zoey Home

When the firefighter finally broke the news to his wife, he cautioned her not to be too excited as he had not gotten a response from his letter, but immediately, his wife started crying.

He feared that the note would disappear and that he would never get to see or hear from Zoey again, which made the waiting period one of the most difficult days for the couple.

Fortunately, the couple's dream to become parents came true. Zoey was dropped at the Safe Haven Baby Box on January 2, and by January 4, the baby girl was home with them.

The story of how they became parents will always be remembered and feel surreal. "The way I found her... This was God helping us out," said the proud father, who also admitted the still couldn't recount the story without getting emotional.

The decision to share the story with the world was not only to inspire other people but to let Zoey's biological mother know that she was in good hands and loved unconditionally. "We want her to know that her child is taken care of and that she is loved beyond words," reiterated the father.

The new parents found one concerning thing on Zoey; her umbilical cord was snapped off with a shoelace. Besides that, their baby girl has been healthy and growing.

Monica Kelsey, the founder of the Safe Haven Baby Box created the system with the intention for children to be legally and safely surrendered. The boxes are made to be comfortable with a bassinet-style bed inside and a controlled temperature.

The founder of this mission spoke at a press conference the day Zoey was found. Kelsey thanked the parents who safely and legally gave up their children and allowed them a chance to find a safe home.

"Thank you for bringing your child to a place that you knew was going to take care of this child. And thank you for doing what you felt was best," Kelsey expressed.

According to the Safe Haven Baby Box website, there are 148 boxes around the United States, and 31 children have been safely and legally surrendered.

Here's another touching story of a baby found in a Safe Haven Baby Box by a police officer and warmly welcomed into a loving family.