“I think teen years might get glossed over in some more traditional households. I’m cherishing every moment I can.”

Mike is a single dad of two sons; his eldest is turning 20 this month, and the youngest is 16. Mike and his sons found each other with the help of YouGottaBelieve (YGB), a wonderful NY-based agency matching forever parents with older youth in foster care. While most people think an adoption is the preferred path towards forming a family through the foster care system, YGB families often opt for “moral adoption.” That’s the path Mike and his sons have taken.

(Moral adoption is a parent’s unconditional lifetime commitment to a child and does not require a legal document. Moral adoption is not necessarily legally binding, but it carries immense emotional weight and serves as a testament to the power of family.)

Watch this conversation between Brian and Mike to hear about his extraordinary fatherhood journey.