In more than two decades, a single father has taken in dozens of foster children. Now, he is a proud parent to 12 children. He just recently added five siblings under the age of five.
The name of this hero is Lamont Thomas. The father from Buffalo, New York, has adopted siblings Zendaya, 5, Jamel, 4, Nakia, 3, Major, 2 and Michaela, 1. Judge Lisa Rodwin gave the approval to this decision. Thomas said, “Every day I think about it, my eyes swell up. All that we endured to make this happen, it was something.”
Since the 2000’s, the father has been fostering children under his care. He said, “In the beginning, I was helping out some friends. They had lost their child to the system. [Then] I went on and got certified and became a foster parent. I haven’t stopped since.”
Lamont Thomas adopted twins Germayne and Tremayne, as well as another child, Jamie, in 2007. He adopted another child, German, not long after. He adopted Michael, the first child he fostered, after those four adoptions. Lamont had two biological children, Anthony and LaMonica.
Michael Thomas, who is now all grown up, said that his father was his third foster home and was his forever home. He added, “Lamont never turned [a child] awa. They either aged out or went back home to their own families.”
After adopting Michael, Lamont thought he was through with adopting children. But when he learned about the needs of the siblings, he got re-certified and applied to be the five children’s foster parents with the intention to adopt them in the future.
“The kids ended up being taken into care — I believe it was due to neglect. They had them in four different homes, four different cities. They were separated for over a year-and-a-half,” Lamont said. When he fostered them and then was able to eventually adopt them, Lamont said that they gave him new energy. They’re lovable kids, very affectionate,” he said. “They deserve to be raised as siblings, and that was my fight.”
Lamont’s biological daughter, LaMonica said that she is enjoying growing up in a growing family and she loves her five newest siblings. She added, “It’s amazing he’s taking on all of them. He does anything for everybody. He’s a really great man.” Michael said that caring for children is his father’s God-given call.
And we agree that Lamont has a gift for caring for children. His life is an example of how God has chosen His children. We were lost yet God sought us out to be part of His family. Along with that came all the blessings, protection, and hope through Jesus Christ.
Let us hold on to the hope that we have so that in any trials or tribulations, we know that God will save us and bring to fruition the struggles we went through. As a child of God, always look to the Father and ask Him all your needs for He knows what you need. Call to Him and He will answer you.