17-year-old Roman Balassaitis has finally been adopted after a long and arduous life in the foster care system in which he longed to finally have a family of his own. Roman was adopted just mere hours before turning 18, an age at which he no longer could have been adopted by the loving family that he now calls his own.
Speaking to First Coast News, Clay County, Florida, resident Roman Balassaitis described the rush of emotions that he felt when his place in a new family was finally legalized in court. A complete sense of relief rushed over his body as he immediately had to then prepare for his eighteenth birthday party.
Roman said, “I was sweating bad. My heart was beating. I was very happy. It means I have someone to go to. It means if I need someone to talk to, I have people to talk to now.” That last sentence is so emotional because it perfectly embodies the predicament that Roman found himself in.
Staring in the face of becoming a legal adult, Roman was alone. He felt that with no legal family, he was about to set off on the journey of adulthood with no support structure and nobody to discuss his problems and worries with. Also, he would be painfully without a family to share his success and triumphs to at celebrations and get-togethers that so many take for granted.
His new Parents, Renee and Brad Balassaitis, had this to say about the decision to adopt Roman, “Today was a race to the finish line for Roman a day before he turns 18. And once he turns 18, there’s no adoption through the state as a minor. We’d have to go about it a whole different way. And so, a lot of people work really hard at the end to get it all done in the nick of time.”
Brad Balassaitis shared about the life that Roman had led prior to this adoption, saying, “I think on paperwork it showed he has been in 19 different places over the past several years. So, it’s not been an easy life for him. I love that it will, we’ll have the opportunity to be a part of his life going forward, that he doesn’t have to worry about bouncing around anymore, he knows that we’re here for him.”
Both Roman and his new family members were quick to praise God for bringing the group together and giving them the ability to solidify their familial bond in legal documents. They were very clear that they believe this would not have been possible without God’s aid.
Roman exclaimed, “Thank God! I want to say, ‘Thank God, it happened!’”
This heart warming story should make readers feel happy to know that one more young man will now have a lifetime of support from parents who love and care for him. There is no worse thing than life without family, and now Roman will not have to endure such a long and arduous existence.
The featured image is a screenshot from an embedded YouTube video from the First Coast News account.
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