A Kentucky couple adopted a toddler who was left at the local fire station when he was a newborn.
According to “Good Morning America,” the baby, named Samuel by his adoptive parents, had been surrendered under the state’s Safe Infants Act, which allows mothers to safely give up parental rights by dropping a child off at a safe location with no questions asked.
Chris and Brittany Tyler followed the story of the baby’s surrender from the start.
They noted they “prayed and hoped” they would be asked to care for the baby. The couple became certified foster parents years before and had already adopted two young children.
Firefighters took Samuel to the hospital for a wellness check and within days, the Tylers were called to care for the baby.
Brittany Tyler said, “He was in the NICU for a couple of weeks before he was ready to come home [because] he was so small.”
Little Samuel was only three pounds when he reached the hospital, but Brittany Tyler added, “We were able to visit him in the NICU that entire time.”
Samuel came home in June 2022 and “fit right in” with the other children. Brittany Tyler went on, “The other kids absolutely loved him.”
“We had another foster baby at the time who was only a few months older, and they became buddies right away,” she continued.
The adoption process was much easier due to Samuel’s surrender, and the family continues to visit the fire station where the journey began.
Chris Tyler noted, “We’ve got a great photo of the firemen that were on duty that day holding him, and we’re talking about these huge guys … and just massive smiles.” Samuel is now 2.
“[They] know that there’s a special connection between Samuel and that fire station, and with them particularly,” he added.
The firefighters have been a continuous source of support for the Tylers, and also gave them a special memento for Samuel, the note his birth mother left when she surrendered him.
The Tylers want everyone to know that every state has a Safe Haven policy and that pregnant women and mothers in need have various options that can lead to a happy family.
Chris Tyler explained, “We really want to let him know that somebody loved him even though they weren’t going to be with him for his whole life.”
“That [his biological mom] loved him and wanted the best for him, and she trusted that he would go to a good place, and we’re thankful to God that he came to us,” he concluded.