While they waited to be adopted, Kevin and Dominique Gill made the decision to foster those children who needed it. It was known that a child named Andrew was only meant to be in their lives for a short while. However, everyone in the household grew close to Andrew, and after two years, he was recognized as the Gills’ son.
The couple opted to foster children after realizing there was a great need for it in the childcare industry.
Kevin and Dominique received a call in 2018 asking them to foster 10-year-old Andrew who had just left two facilities. His twenty-sixth foster home was there. Andrew was their third child, and they had previously fostered children.
According to Dominique, things got off to a “difficult” start, but his family was determined to stick with him no matter what.
Twice adoption plans for Andrew were made, but neither of them materialized.
Because they were aware of how desperately Andrew desired a family, the Gills wanted to do everything they could to assist the family who would choose to adopt Andrew. The agency then returned Andrew to the Gills after that family concluded he was not a good fit for them.
Kevin and Dominique were concerned for Andrew since they knew this event might have an impact on him and cause him to grow more resentful and behave badly. He was truly overjoyed to return to them, though.
The couple at the time had a son who was about Andrew’s age.
After three months, Andrew’s parents and the adoption agency were both informed that the agency had begun actively looking for potential adoptive parents. During this time, Dominique observed how well-liked Joc was by Andrew and how much they both missed each other while they were apart.
Dominique confessed to her husband that she didn’t want to let go of Andrew ever again and that she felt that adopting him would be the correct choice. The only thing that worried her was that despite his best efforts to drive everyone away, Andrew never made it clear that he wanted to stay with the family indefinitely.
The couple chose to use a gesture to inform Andrew of his adoption.
Out of compassion for Andrew, Dominique asked everyone to ask him if he wanted to join the family. She explained that she wanted to let him know that there is a village behind him and that this family wouldn’t give up on him because she knew he had seen many faces in his life, some of which turned out to be only temporary.
He was shocked to discover that the family the agency had spoken to all along was the Gills when they took him for a stroll in the park with the group. Since that time, Joc, Andrew’s best buddy, became his brother, and he also received a loving family.
Joc and Andrew continue to get along nicely.
Andrew has been a part of the Gill family’s lives for four years and two years since he was adopted as a son. Even though Andrew and Joc, both now teenagers, each have their own interests and hobbies, they still play games together and share a room. Despite certain differences, they are “the best friends they’ve always been,” according to their mother.
Six members now make up the Gill family: Kevin and Dominique, the kids Joc, Andrew, Kynnedi, and KJ.
Despite the numerous societal difficulties the family endures, they wouldn’t change their way of life for anything.
People either think Andrew is not with the Gills when they see them in public or try to start a conversation about how he could be their child. Joc and Andrew also encountered instances at school where children would not accept them as family, and Andrew had to prove it by displaying pictures.
The family claims that everyone in their care is valued equally and is given the respect and dignity they deserve. They run four different businesses and, while they want to support black businesses, they are also open to supporting other businesses because they want their white child to have the same possibilities as their other children. The family is dedicated to making everyone feel welcome and comfortable.
