We have a new hero of the day, and his name is Robert Carter.
The 29-year-old stylist is an openly gay man living in Cincinnati, Ohio and, according to Daily Mail, he is now the father of five children. Carter’s life as a father started in December 2019 when he fostered three brothers named Robert Jr., Giovanni, and Kiontae. Carter then discovered that the three boys have two sisters named Marionna and Makayla. Unfortunately, the two girls were stuck in the foster system and the siblings had been separated for six months.
“We met up for visits, and all the kids were crying,” Carter told FOX19. “They didn’t want to leave each other, and at that moment, I knew, ok, I have to adopt all five.”
But why does Robert Carter care so much for these children? Besides just working from the kindness of his own heart, Carter also grew up in foster care. He knows firsthand how hard it was to be separated from his siblings.
“My mom had nine kids, and I didn’t see my youngest again,” he explained. “He was two. I didn’t see him again until he was 16, so for me going through that, I knew how important it is for them to see each other and be around each other. When I had my boys before I got the girls, that’s all they talked about was their sisters.”
But now, thanks to Robert Carter, the five children don’t have to be separated ever again. According to Black News, Carter was officially approved by the court to adopt all five children.
“I’m relieved because I tried to go through the process before and it didn’t work out, but now I’m just happy that it’s over and I’m their dad for the rest of their life, and they know that they’ll never have to go through what they went through again,” said Carter.
Stacey Barton, the case manager for the adoption case, said she’s happy for the family.
“I’ve never had a single father adopt five children,” Barton said. “I’ve had married couples who have adopted six or seven, so this was a unique experience for me. Children need families, and it’s an opportunity for Mr. Carter to show the community that he can do it and others can too.”
The family isn’t out of the woods yet, however, as Carter is trying to secure a new home As such, Robert Carter has set up a GoFundMe fundraiser to help fund “a new forever home where the kids can grow into our next future leaders.” While the family has raised 85,022 for this new home, as of this article’s publishing, they are hoping to raise $150,000.
Source: Daily Mail, FOX19, Black News,
