Eight families in Collier celebrate 'extraordinary love' on National Adoption Day

Eleven kids found their forever homes Friday afternoon during a National Adoption Day celebration at the Collier County Courthouse.

Courtroom 4A became the place of celebration after eight families finalized their adoptions.

When Aloima Cata saw a pregnant woman in front of the Seventh-day Adventist Church she attends in Naples, she made it her responsibility to do anything she could to help. Cata made sure the woman was never hungry and even organized a baby shower with the help of her church. She did not imagine that almost two years later, that child would be her son.

Cata, along with her husband, five kids, foster daughter and friends, celebrated finalizing the adoption of 1-year-old Renzo Sander Lorenso.

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Lorenso’s biological mother feared her son would be lost in the foster system. Because she did not have a long-term place to live, the Florida Department of Children and Families intervened, Cata said. Cata did not think twice when the mother asked her to take her newborn.

“I felt very responsible because at the very beginning I told her that we would be here for her.”

Judge Christine Greider, who joked about having a “no return” policy, has been involved in most of the cases since the kids entered the foster system.

“Each of them have their own unique journey … the thing that crosses all cases is the extraordinary love,” she said.

After Karen Hedrich's husband died of a heart attack about two years ago, she never had time to grieve.

Hedrich said her husband sent now 3-year-old Aleeah Hedrich to her to "keep (Hedrich) busy." Hedrich finalized Aleeah's adoption Friday and was excited to add "Hedrich" to her last name.  

"If I started to cry (after her husband's death), she would run up and give me a great big bear hug and do something goofy to make me laugh," she said." She was so little, but she was so smart and knew what to do to get me laughing again."

Joy Smith, who has three kids of her own, finalized the adoption of two boys who were taken out of a neglectful environment. With her mother and daughter by her side, she became emotional when Greider noted that three generations stood in front of her.

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"Look at the wonderful daughter you have," Greider said, addressing Smith's mother.

"My goal now is for them to never be abused or hurt again or neglected of anything," Smith said. "Our family grew unexpectedly, and it did nothing but make us better and stronger."

Most foster cases stem from drug abuse, neglect or domestic violence, said Nadereh Salim, CEO of the Children's Network of Southwest Florida. 

In November, about 44 children were adopted out of Lee and Collier counties, Salim said.

According to the Children's Network website, there are 582 children now living in licensed foster homes in Southwest Florida. There are only about 375 foster families in the region.

The Children's Network hopes to one day have enough foster families that fostered siblings do not have to separate.  

"I would like to let the community know that we are in need of foster parents," Salim said. "I ask the community to please consider if you have space in your house — and a lot of space in your heart."