A dear lifelong friend of mine has fallen into a family hardship. In 2022, his wife received a call from the State of Massachusetts, Child protective services that a family member needed to put their newborn into foster care due to drug use during the pregnancy. Our friends welcomed the newborn into their home, hoping that his biological parents would get clean. The child was born with Class A substances in his system and spent over a month working through withdrawals. The biological parents drug use altered his development, growth and has required multiple eye surgeries to correct.

Our friend has served in the United States Military for 15 years. Shortly after the foster placement, the United States Army deployed him overseas for a year. This left his wife raising the newborn and their two older sons on her own all while the newborn was still working through the residual effects of the withdrawals.

The state granted the biological parents an opportunity to get clean. 2 years later, they have proven they are unable to do so. Thus forcing the biological parents to relinquish their parental rights and allow my friend and his wife to legally adopt him.

In July 2024, the adoption was finalized and he was safe with his forever family! Fast forward one year later, the summer of 2025, my friend and his wife were served court notice that the biological parents were attempting to redact the decision and receive various parental rights backs. My friend did not think they had a case legally, but after 6 months of court hearings and multiple delays, they have incurred significant lawyer costs and court fees. The biological parents have continued to prove they are unable to remain clean which creates an unsafe home for the child. But the legal process continues. The lawyer costs and court fees have created a financial hardship for my friend’s family.

The purpose and hope of this fundraiser is to lessen the financial burden placed on the family by these series of circumstances. All funds raised during this fundraiser will be gifted to the family to help offset lawyer and court fees. Any money raised over the goal amount, will be placed in a future education fund for the child.

Thank you all for your support. You’ve helped an amazing family who did the right thing unconditionally and with open hearts—ultimately making a difference in this child’s life.