Seven kids is definitely a lot for one household. With a number like that, you have to rethink everything, from how to transport your family to how to feed them all without going bankrupt. One thing most parents might not think about is, how will they stay a family if something tragic happens?
Pam Willis, 50, learned about seven siblings in foster care while scrolling through social media. The situation was heartbreaking. Both parents tragically died in a rollover accident, and it was unlikely for anyone to take all of the children in. At the time, the siblings ranged in age from 12 to 1.
Looking at the photo, Pam felt a connection. As she told Today, "I can't explain it — I just knew I was supposed to be their mom."
She shared her story on Instagram, including every detail. Her account, second.chance.7, is all about the journey toward adoption and why she felt like she had to act. "I thought about them all day," she wrote, after having seen the post and tagging her husband. "That evening I asked my husband if he'd seen the post. 'Yes', he said. 'We should adopt them'. My heart stopped."
"They had been in foster care for a year since their parents had been killed in the car accident that they all had miraculously survived," she continued. "Who would keep them all together? Who would have the space for them? Who would have the time, and the love, and the patience for their trauma? The answer was clear… we would."
"If you ask my friends, one moment we were reposting their heart wrenching news story and calling attention to their plight, the next minute we were meeting them, falling in love, and starting the adoption process," she continued. "They moved in ‪June 7th.‬ WE are their forever home, and this is our second chance with SEVEN!"
Pam and husband Gary weren't strangers to the fostering process. However, this was the first time they were looking to fully adopt. "I thought Gary was going to tell me I was wacko — we were getting ready to retire," Pam told Today. But both seemed to be on board for the adventure ahead.
Pam called for more information about the kids, and she wasn't the only one. She said a bunch of calls came in to offer to rehome the siblings. But she also learned a little more about them. She realized that their late parents suffered from addiction, and that their childhoods often contained points of homelessness.
The siblings consisted of Adelino, 15; Ruby, 13; Aleecia, 9; Anthony, 8; Aubriella, 7; Leo, 5; and Xander, 4. Pam soon realized that throughout their lives, they often went without food. She admitted that forming a bond with the older kids was a bit trickier than with the younger kids.
Pam has always liked being around kids. She stated on Instagram that she became a mom at the age of 17. "I've said it before and I'll say it again though, I'd break my own heart a million times if it means an innocent child's heart remains protected and cared for," she said.
When the children arrived, they came with some trauma — as was expected. They had all lived through something kids shouldn't have seen. But Pam seems to openly acknowledge the challenge and provides them with nothing but love and support along the way. She knows it's a lot of hard work.
"I think they didn’t quite trust that we were real," Pam told Today. "Like maybe we were going to go away. I think it's so hard to trust when so much has been taken from your life. Ruby didn't know how to be a kid. She had to be a mother figure at a very young age."
Pam admitted that the kids had nightmares for a long time. It was one of the hardest transitions for the family. "One night, my then-7-year-old came into our room," Pam said. "I asked her, 'Did you have a bad dream?' And she replied, 'No, I just wanted to make sure that you were still here.'"
The children were officially adopted just recently, after a few setbacks based on the health crisis of 2020. Their biological children were able to watch virtually, which was a big deal. Not every day do you have seven new siblings. "It was SO important to me to make this day special, and SO important to me that all 12 of my children be together for the occasion," Pam wrote.
It seems like Pam and Gary are more or less made for each other. Even though they met and married young, they've always had the same goals. They both wanted a big family, and they both felt it was important to help others. Being a foster parent can be very tricky and emotional, but it seems as if they were meant for the role.
Pam is right in saying that this is a second chance for all of them. For Pam and Gary, officially welcoming the seven siblings into their home was a second shot at parenthood all over again. For the kids, it was a second shot at having their family together again.
These kids have a miraculous story and a shared experience with each other. It's so wonderful that they found their ideal family fit. It's yet another reminder that sometimes, we don't know what life may throw our way. Even a story shared on Facebook may end up changing lives, like it did with the Willis family.
