Sometimes people don’t realize how important the foster care system is. It can have a hugely positive impact on the lives of the children who are in it, and beautiful familial relationships can grow from it.
Paula Buckner is one of the moms who exemplifies the good of the foster care system, so when she got ill, a team of people who care about her stepped in to change her life, the way she has changed the lives of so many kids.
Paula has dedicated her life to helping out children in foster care.
Foster care is an essential part of our system for many children. Some sources even believe that the need for foster care is increasing lately.
Given that this might be an increasing need, it’s important that we take time to recognize the incredible people who help this system: foster parents. For her part, Paula has spent 4o years giving children in the foster care system a home under her roof.
She’s grown important and close bonds with many of the kids who lived with her over the years.
If you were looking for any evidence that Paula is a fantastic foster care parent, look no further than the bonds that she has with some of the kids she helped raised. Dozens of children of varying age groups came into her life over the years, and she’s maintained those bonds. Although foster care is sometimes seen as transient, these relationships prove to be anything but.
Some of Paula’s kids even chose to continue living with her after they “aged-out” of the system. Although people don’t really qualify for foster care once they turn 18, some kids that Paula raised view her as their mother. Some of them continued living with her after they became legal adults and many continue to visit her and keep in touch well into adulthood.
One of these special cases was a young girl named Darlene, who kept in touch with Paula well into her 50s. Paula knew Darlene’s children, and even stepped in to take care of Darlene when she got cancer. Paula nurtured her while she was dying, a testament to her enduring love for her foster kids.
But despite her dedication to her foster kids, things have been difficult for Paula the last few years.
It’s an unfortunate fact that good people also have to deal with bad things happening to them. For her part, Paula’s developed a lung condition that’s made everyday tasks difficult for her. Every day, she has to go up and down stairs to get between her kitchen or living room and her bedroom and bathroom. This used to cause her no trouble, but now it’s been draining because of her health issues.
She has always refused to move from her two-story house into a one-floor abode. For Paula, it’s far more important that she’s somewhere that her foster kids can find her and stay with her if need be.
Because of the love she’s shown to so many people over the years, a team of do-gooders decided to show her some love. They gave her a surprise she wasn’t expecting.
The Fox Dream Team heard about Paula’s dedication to others and the impact she’s had on her foster kids’ lives, and they decided that they had to do something for her. Knowing that she wasn’t about to give up her two-floor house any time soon, they decided to make daily life just a little bit easier for her.
They installed a custom stairlift for her that would help carry her up and down the stairwell that had become so difficult. The best part: it was all a surprise. The team came in and installed it while Paula was away from home. Then, they waited to see her reaction.
Her reaction to this life-changing piece of equipment is incredible.
To make the surprise extra special, many of Paula’s kids were at the house to honor her and be there for the big reveal. They all were happy to see her and give her hugs.
When Paula finally saw the stairlift, she didn’t know what to say or do. She was completely surprised and kept smiling with amazement over the gift. It would certainly help make things a little easier.
Learn more about Paula and see her reaction to the surprise in the video below!
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