Life hasn’t always been easy for 11-year-old Carter Wyles, but thanks to an incredible holiday gift, things are looking up.
Videos by InspireMore
Carter’s home life in Lancaster, Ohio has been troubled, and he’s been bounced around from foster home to foster home for longer than any kid should ever have to be. This Christmas, his aunt Leah Kiphart invited the boy to join his extended family for the holiday. What Carter didn’t realize was that the Kipharts had a vision for the future that very much included him in the picture.
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On Christmas morning, Carter sat on the floor of Leah’s home, surrounded by boxes and wrapping paper. As the boy unwrapped one last gift, the Kiphart family waited with baited breath as he pulled tissue paper from the box and revealed a framed family photograph.
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Carter begins to read the attached note aloud, and halfway through you can see his little face begin to crumble as he realizes what is happening.
“Carter,” the note reads. “Here is the most recent picture of our family. All of us would love for you to be in the next picture, and for you to be a part of our family. Carter, would you like to be a Kiphart and be our son and brother?”
“What do you think, buddy? We’re going to adopt you, Carter,” Leah’s husband says off-camera.
Carter can barely hold in his tears, nodding and mumbling back, “I want to thank you so much.”
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Leah later explained that Carter’s adoption status deadline was about to change, allowing strangers to adopt him. When faced with the fact that she may never see her nephew again, Leah and her family made the decision to expand their family from seven to eight.
“This might have been the last time that we were ever going to see Carter, and felt that it was really important for us to keep him in the family,” said Leah. “A lot of people talk about how lucky he is. We are just as fortunate to have him join our family.”
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Carter’s tearful reaction shows just how relieved he must feel to have found a secure home and family after a lifetime of worry.
“This was not planned,” Leah later stated. “We discussed with our other children Sunday night and shared with him Monday morning. We are blessed to have him as part of our family. He’s a good little boy.”
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The family is happy that the video of Carter opening his incredible Christmas has gone viral, hoping that it encourages others to consider adopting older children, not just babies. Carter says he’s thrilled the video is bringing joy to the world, admitting that it feels good that “other people can enjoy my happiness and my family’s happiness.”
“We all have a lot of adjusting to do and will continue to keep Carter in prayer as he heals and transitions into our family.”
We’ll be praying for you too, Carter! We’re so happy to see this young man find his way home, and we’re gratified that his family found it in their hearts to open their home to him.
Watch the beautiful moment when Carter becomes a Kiphart in the video below, and please share this special feeling with others.
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