The holidays were especially joyful for Michaela and Dave Robbins of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, because they received the best gift of their lives in December.
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After the couple decided to adopt a child, they spent four long years searching for the perfect fit for their family. Then a special boy came into their lives – and stole their hearts forever!
On their journey to parenthood, Dave and Michaela volunteered to rock babies at the Children’s Home of Pittsburgh & Lemieux Family Center. That’s how they first crossed paths with Noah.
They immediately clicked with the then 4-year-old, who has arthrogryposis. The condition affects his spine and legs and also left his limbs in a permanently bent position. When they heard he’d been in the foster care system for 1,275 days, they knew it was a sign – as did Noah!
“Noah says sometimes that he had always been looking for us, and when he found us, he just knew,” Michaela told People. “I think we very much felt the same way about him.”
The Robbins brought Noah home as his foster parents in December 2019. It took time, training, and effort to care for him, as Noah uses a trach, gastrostomy tube, and ventilator. He also underwent nine surgeries while in their care. But every second they spent with him made it all worthwhile.
“We wake up all the time and we look at each other and we’re like, ‘I can’t believe we got so lucky,'” Michaela said. “Noah has improved our lives in every way.”
So a year after they first welcomed Noah into their home, Michaela and Dave decided to make the arrangement permanent.
On December 11, they officially adopted the 5-year-old in a Zoom ceremony. Their loved ones wore red and green in honor of Noah’s favorite holiday, and they even announced the new addition to their family on a local cinema marquee!
And their joy didn’t end there! Following the adoption, the Robbins asked for the public’s help in raising money for a wheelchair accessible van. Noah’s power wheelchair weighs 150 pounds, making it difficult for them to load it in and out of their car.
Their neighbors responded, and in less than two weeks, they had raised over $87,000!
“Welcoming Noah into our family was truly the gift of a lifetime. Our second greatest gift has been the huge community that has stood in solidarity with us,” the Robbins wrote on GoFundMe. “We have felt your support and love surrounding us. There are no words to adequately express our appreciation!”
Talk about a happy ending – or beginning, really! The Robbins have many years of joy and love to look forward to.
Share this story to congratulate the beautiful family.
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