Baby Charlie was less than a week old when he was found abandoned on a truck bed – he was cold wet and hungry.
A student heard him crying and alerted emergency services who discovered the newborn at Meridian Apartments in Tallahassee, Florida in 2017.
He was rushed to Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare where he was placed in a unit where Lorraine Nicholls worked as a respiratory therapist.
“I assessed his breathing, his, you know, oxygen,” she said. “For the most part, he was fine. Cold, hungry, wet, but he was fine.”
As Lorraine cradled sweet little Charlie, a special bond was forming.
The stepmom to three kids and her husband of 20 years Charles had dreamed of having their own children but as a two-time breast cancer survivor Lorraine had been praying for a long time for her miracle to come along.
Lorraine knew when she held little Charlie that she was destined to be his mom and four days after he was found, he was taken to his new home with Lorraine and Charlie.
Even though Lorraine had helped raise her stepchildren raising a newborn was completely different. Most moms have nine months to prepare for a new baby whereas Lorraine and Charles had just a week. But it was all worth it for the couple to finally have their prayers answered.
“He just fills that hole that I had in my heart,” Lorraine told the Tallahassee Democrat. “I just feel like I have everything that I need and want and enjoy the fact that I can take care of him.”
On May 6, 2018 — exactly a year after baby Charlie was found — Lorraine, Charles and their loved ones celebrated the incredible milestone of having this sweet baby in their lives. It was also Lorraine’s first official Mother’s Day as a mom.
Lorraine wants to encourage more people to consider adoption.
“Adoption is a wonderful, wonderful thing. There are so many kids out there that need someone to take care of them and become their forever family,” she said.
Lorraine stressed that you don’t have to be perfect to adopt.
“It just means so much, it’s more than I could ever imagine or dream of,” she added.
This baby was destined to cross Lorraine and Charles’ path and I hope their story encourages more people to consider adoption. Please share.
