Gerrard Kaonga
In a story that will warm even the coldest of hearts, one lucky Florida teen was adopted just hours before his 18th birthday in a race against the clock.
Brad and Renee Balassaitis welcomed Jacksonville, Florida teen Roman Balassaitis into their home in a moment that his new mother has called a ‘miracle’.
Speaking to First Coast News, the two parents rejoiced at the ability to officially make him a member of their family, joining the other seven children they have adopted as well as their two biological children.
“Now we have nine kids officially, it is incredible, we were hours away from him turning 18 and we started this process months and months ago,” Brad Balassaitis said.
“We tried to make sure that he wouldn’t age out and become a statistic.”
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In Florida, 60 percent of children in foster care age out of the system, according to the University of Florida. Avoiding homelessness can also become a new hurdle for these children who age out of the system.
The family made the adoption official in the Clay County Historic Courthouse last week, with the judge conducting the procedure via zoom.
“I was sweating bad. My heart was beating. I was very happy,” Roman said of the moment in the courtroom.
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He also expressed just how much this moment meant for him and what it will mean for his future.
“It means I have someone to go to. It means If I need someone to talk to, I have people to talk to now,” he said while grinning.
His mother Renee agreed and said since he was adopted, Roman has been doing so well.
“He needed to know people believed in him and that he was wanted, and chosen, that’s a big deal,” she said when speaking with Today.
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“Ever since adoption day, Roman has been walking lighter. It’s like a huge weight has been lifted off his shoulders and you can see it in the way he moves. He’s incredibly relieved.”
Roman entered the foster care system at age 11 and had bounced between 19 different homes.
He had stayed with the Balassaitis family in the past, when he was 13, and had stayed there for about 9 months. However, the family said he wasn’t ready to be adopted at that time.
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After reconnecting with the family last year, things had gone so well that on Christmas morning 2022, Roman got the news he had waited for. Brad and Renee told him they were adopting him.
Following this the family worked on putting that into motion and on October 17, hours before his 18th birthday, Roman got his fairytale ending.