Teen adopted into family shares her story

Deanie Wimmer reportingOn this Valentine's Day, volunteers are urging more Utahns to give the ultimate gift of love, a family, by adopting a child, but not just a baby. I met a St George family that shared their experience of adopting a teenager.

A year ago, Rylee Stanley never imagined she'd be on an ice cream outing with her parents and brothers. She'd spent her life living in fear, living in foster care, then living as a teenager in a homeless shelter.

"Yea, I wanted to be adopted. Before, my case worker was the one who brought it up to me or else I never would have thought about it, because I thought I was too old," Rylee said.

A year ago, the Stanley family didn't think they would adopt a teenager. They'd wanted another child, but never imagined how an 18-year-old girl could complete their family.

Her mom, Traci, said, "I think watching the friendships between the kids; the boys have always wanted a sister, and it's been fun watching the camaraderie that they have. They're best friends. They're in the same stage of life."

Her father, Davis, said, "You go into it thinking, ‘What can I do to make a good life for somebody that may not have had the best of lives?' Then after a while you realize, ‘Wow, she's changed our lives for the better.'"

There has been adjustment on both sides, but a group called the Adoption Exchange helped find a situation that worked for each member of what would soon be a new family.

Rylee's brother, Michael, said, "I don't really think about it much, but I think it's one of the better things that's happened to me."

"It's never too late to have a family. That was just what my case worker told me, and I was like, ‘That's true, it's never too late,'" Rylee said.

Rylee is now a college student in engineering.

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