Woman Adopts Husband's Ex-Wife's Baby So He Won't Grow Up In Foster Care
Emily Baldwin An Ohio woman whose early life was marked by her time in foster care has chosen to extend her love and home to the son of her husband's late ex-wife. She understood what it's like to grow up in foster care and wanted to offer him a chance at a different life.
Christie Werts, 48, already shared a blended family with her husband, Wesley, 45. But when she learned about newborn Levi's situation, she didn't hesitate for even a moment.
She adopted her husband's ex-wife's baby so he wouldn't grow up in foster care.
Werts frequently shares snippets from her family's everyday lives to the video-sharing app TikTok. Recently, her videos have included a new addition, young Levi.
"My husband did not really speak to the biological mom's family often," Werts said, per Jam Press. "But she had Levi on a Monday and passed away that Friday."
Working in IT by day and juggling her bustling household by night, Werts knew all too well what it meant to take on another responsibility. But when it came to baby Levi, there was no room for doubt or negotiation.
“When I heard about Levi, without hesitation I said we should take him," she said.
Levi was born prematurely in Texas in August 2021; he arrived in this world at just 33 weeks. The mother succumbed four days later due to complications arising from drug addiction and COVID-19 infection.
The Werts' home already bustled with the energy and laughter of four children before they opened their hearts, and doors, to welcome little Levi into their midst.
Wesley's two children from his previous marriage are Austin, 14, and Dakota, 10. And then there are Werts' own children: Megan, 21, and Vance, 15. This vibrant patchwork family had been woven together over five years ago after Wesley met Christie.
And so began their journey towards adopting baby Levi — a process that spanned 16 painstaking months before reaching its conclusion this past January when they officially welcomed him as part of their family.
Having experienced foster care firsthand from the age of 15 until adulthood, it shaped how Werts perceived child-care systems.
"I did not want him going into foster care," she said.
Werts acknowledged that while her personal experience had been as good as one could hope for under such circumstances, it left an indelible mark on her understanding of what love means for kids like herself.
"I just knew I loved my stepkids enough to make sure they got to be with their half-brother," she said.
The sentiment echoed through every decision they made thereafter; it became a beacon guiding them through the tricky waters of adoption proceedings.
Related Stories From YourTango:However, bringing young Levi home wasn't without its challenges. The Werts actually sold off their property in Ohio, only then renting out a house down south in Texas so that they could foster baby Levi prior to his formal adoption.
With each passing day during the adoption process, Werts felt herself grow more connected to little Levi. He didn't even have an official first name or birth certificate at first but quickly "stole" his new mother's heart!
“He won’t understand the journey right now, but someday I will let him know we fought for him!” Werts said of the new “king of the house.”
Ethan Cotler is a writer and frequent contributor to YourTango living in Boston. His writing covers entertainment, news, and human interest stories.
