Luca Trapanese, a single 41-year-old gay man from Naples, Italy, had always wanted to become a dad. But in Italy, it was only legal for married heterosexual couples to adopt until 2017. Even then, he was told that he’d only be able to adopt a “hard to place” child, with mental or physical challenges.

“They told me that they would only give me sick children, with severe disabilities, or with behavioral problems,” he told the BBC in an interview. “I was absolutely ok with that.”

And that’s how Alba, a little girl with Down syndrome, came into his life. Abandoned at birth, she had been passed over by 20 separate families before Luca was approached about providing her a home. Luca, who has worked and volunteered with people with disabilities from a young age, readily agreed.

“I’m proud to be her father,” Luca said. “Alba was never a second option because she had a disability. I wanted her to be my daughter.”

Listen to the entire interview here.

To help find your path to fatherhood through gay adoption, surrogacy or foster care check out the GWK Academy.