Aleida and John Martin were shopping for cars in Owasso when they got “the call.”
A few hours later, they were parents. Their new son, Dae’quelin, who was then seven years old, had been shuttled through an astonishing 17 foster homes before he found a permanent home with the Martins.
“Dae’quelin stole my heart from the beginning,” recalls Aleida. “We said ‘yes’ to the adoption in five minutes.”
“This family was meant to be,” said Christine Po, Dae’quelin’s CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer. “I could not have hoped for a better outcome for him.”
Aleida’s hope is that Christine will always remain a part of Dae’quelin’s life, and she plans to become a CASA advocate in the future.
Today, Dae’quelin is a happy 12-year-old boy who enjoys wrestling, playing with the family dogs, and taking care of his pet goose and duck. His family is looking to foster more and he enjoys being a big brother to any foster sibling coming into the home.