Pam and Gary Willis, a couple in their 50s from California, were foster parents who had raised five children of their own. As they approached retirement, they never imagined they would end up adopting seven siblings who had lost their parents in a tragic car accident.
In 2018, the Willis family saw a news story about seven siblings, aged 2 to 13, who had survived a horrific crash that claimed their parents’ lives. The children were in foster care and desperately needed a permanent home. Pam was instantly drawn to their story and knew they needed to stay together. To her surprise, when she voiced it out to her husband Gary, he was on the same page with her.
Despite thousands of people calling to adopt the siblings, the Willis family stepped up to give them a forever home. Pam and Gary knew it wouldn’t be easy, as the children had suffered major injuries in the crash and faced significant trauma from their previous living situation, which included their parents’ addiction and homelessness.
The kids initially struggled to trust the couple, with one, 7-year-old girl checking on them at night to make sure they were still there. Over the next few months, the children overcame obstacles and adjusted to their new lives. Finally, in August 2020, after delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pam and Gary officially adopted all seven siblings.
Two years later, the family’s life has been completely transformed. Pam reflects, “They have given us a second chance at parenting; we have given them a second Mom and Dad. They are our Second Chance 7.”
Life has a way of throwing unexpected challenges our way, testing the limits of our strength and resilience. Whether it’s a personal setback, a global crisis, or a series of obstacles that seem to pile up, the reality is that difficulties are an inevitable part of the human existence. However, it is in these moments of adversity that our true character shines through. When faced with daunting challenges, it is our ability to remain resolute and extend kindness to ourselves and others that can make us humans that are humane.