A young boy got the Christmas gift of a lifetime when he was invited to be adopted into his aunt and uncle’s large, loving family.
In 2018, 11-year-old Carter Wyles had been living with his extended family due to an unstable home life with his biological mother. Aside from his aunt and uncle, the home also included six cousins.
The family hoped to officially adopt Carter once it became clear that he would not be returning to his mother, and they wanted to ask him in the most meaningful way possible. So in an Amazon box, they placed a framed family photo that included everyone but him—and a note.
Carter opened the box and first saw the picture. Feeling a bit confused, he spotted the letter, which he read aloud as his family captured him on video.
“This is our most recent picture of our family,” he began. “All of us would love for you to be in the next picture and to be part of our family. Carter, would you like to be a Kiphart and be our son and brother?”
The video caught the moment Carter realized what was happening. When he did, he broke into tears as his aunt went over and wrapped her arms around him. He, of course, accepted the heartfelt invitation.
Family Explains Their Path to Adoption
The Kipharts posted the video on social media, and it immediately went viral. Following the fame, Cater and his aunt, Leah, spoke to ABC News.
Leah shared that an outside family had started the process of adopting Carter. So they quickly stepped in and asked the court to allow him to stay with them.
“That was a really, really hard thing for us to accept and know that this might have been the last time that we were ever going to see Carter,” she said. “[We] felt that it was really important for us to keep him in the family.”
Carter and the Kipharts admitted that they didn’t expect the video to go viral, but they’re happy it did.
“It made me feel good that other people can enjoy…like my happiness and my family’s happiness,” shared Carter.
“A lot of people talk about how lucky he is,” added Leah. “We are just as fortunate to have him join our family. He is a good, good kid.”
Watch Carter’s tear-jerking reaction below.
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You can find the source of this story’s featured images here and here.
