Wednesday's Child — Elise & Nate


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SALT LAKE CITY — The bond between a brother and sister can be hard to define.

"They are definitely connected with each other," said their DCFS caseworker Charity Cruz.

It's something Cruz often sees firsthand.

"Nate loves sharing with Elise and giving Elise everything," said Cruz. "It's the same with Elise. She like playing with Nate all the time."

Their love for each other is only rivaled by their shared love of going to the park.

Elise and Nate share something else too: A rare genetic disease called tuberous sclerosis that benign tumors to grow throughout their bodies.

"Nate has them a lot in his brain," Cruz said. "Elise has them more in her kidneys."

By all accounts, these two should be bitter, but they're not.

"Before they were put in state custody they were put in bedrooms and not even given a chance," Cruz said.

The 9-year-old girl and 6-year-old boy entered the Utah Foster Care system less than two years ago for a chance at life with a loving family.


They didn't know how to talk when they first came into care. They didn't know how to feed themselves. They didn't know how to wash themselves, and now they know how to do that all now.

–Charity Cruz, DCFS caseworker


"They didn't know how to talk when they first came into care," Cruz said. "They didn't know how to feed themselves. They didn't know how to wash themselves, and now they know how to do that all now."

Where there could be unhappiness there is joy.

"They're definitely happy kids," Cruz said. "Nate loves to hold people and touch and hug. They make me laugh all the time."

Now they're hoping that laughter will soon fill a permanent home, and the bond between the brother and sister will grow to include a new family.

"They're extremely loveable, so it's hard not to have a forever home for them yet," Cruz said.

To learn more about Elise and Nate contact The Utah Adoption Exchange.

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Ashley Kewish

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