HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Six siblings living in foster care were on the verge of being broken up forever until an LGBTQ couple living in Apollo Beach decided to open up their hearts and their home.
One year later, they are now giving back to children who were just like them, in need of adoption. Everyone is a winner when the Johnson family has a game night.
“Look at their faces; how do they not melt when you see these six little kiddos running around having fun,” said Dustin Johnson.
Johnson and his partner Daniel always wanted to adopt; they just didn’t realize it would be six children, all simultaneously.
“If we weren’t chosen, the six kids were actually going to be split up into five different homes, so they wouldn’t have been able to live under one roof as brothers and sisters, ” said Johnson. “So we knew we had a lot of love to give, and that was the route we wanted to go.”
Call them the Johnson Bunch, beginning with 11-year-old Reed, 10-year-old Amiyah, 9-year-old Isaiah, 7-year-old Kaelix, 6-year-old Cade, and don’t forget about 3-year-old Roslyn.
“I think the thing that surprised me the most was the kid's grit and determination; they all fought really hard to make this happen,” said Johnson.
As a new parent, one of the most challenging parts was making sure you have six of everything, like bicycles.
“The Costco bill alone gives me a heart attack every time,” said Johnson.
The kids are grateful for everything their parents have provided, but what they appreciate the most you can’t buy at a store.
“We just get a loving family, and we actually get to have somebody there for us and our needs,” said Amiyah.
“They actually cared for us, and they helped us through the hard stuff that we couldn’t get through,” said Isaiah.
These parents say they couldn’t have done it alone.
“We got backpacks last year from several different community organizations,” said Johnson.
So this summer, the Johnson kids are paying it forward, donating 200 backpacks filled with school supplies to children in foster care.
Johnson hopes his family inspires others.
“There are kids in our backyard that need loving homes,” said Johnson. “They give back to us in smiles and great memories.”
