Adoptions on the rise locally during the pandemic

COVID-19 has turned life as we know it upside down.

For some, family planning is delayed or deterred, but one local family says adoption is different, but not impossible.

ALSO TONIGHT,COVID-19 HAS TURNEDLIFE AS WE KNOW IT,UPSIDE DOWN.FOR SOME -- FAMILYPLANNING HAS BEENDELAYED ORDETERRED.BUT AS ONE LOCALFAMILY TELLS 7 EWNREPORTER TAYLOREPPS -- ADOPTINGDURING A PANDEMIC ISDIFFERENT, BUT ITISN'T IMPOSSIBLE.IT'S BEEN QUITE THEJOURNEY FOR LITTLEBODHI KEELAN...YOU SEE..HE WASADOPTED..FROMFLORIDA..DURING AGLOBAL PANDEMIC.TRISTAN "WHENSOMEONE CALLS YOUAND SAYS YOU HAVE ASON, ALL THOSE FEARSABOUT COVID THEYBECOME THEOPPOSITE OF FEARS.THERE'S NO WAY I'MGOING TO LET COVIDSTAND IN THE WAY OFSOMETHING WE'VEWANTED SO BADLY FORSO LONG."TRISTAN KEELAN ANDHIS WIFE KIMBERLYALWAYS KNEW THEYWANTED TO GROWTHEIR FAMILY..AFTER 17 MONTHS OFWAITING, THE TOWNOF TONAWANDACOUPLE EXPECTED ACHALLENGE, BUTNOTHING LIKE THIS.TRISTAN "THE HOSPITALWAS ACTUALLY GOINGTO LET US COME IN,EXCEPT BECAUSE HEWAS IN THE NICU, THEYDIDN'T ALLOW USACCESS."THEY WAITED ONEWEEK BEFORE THEYCOULD HOLD THEIRSON FOR THE FIRSTTIME.TRISTAN "IT'S LIKEBEING ON THE DARKSIDE OF THE MOON,YOU CAN'T SEE HIM,YOU CAN'T TOUCH HIM,BUT YOU KNOW HE'SYOURS."MONTHS LATER, HE'SHOME..ENJOYING LIFEWITH HIS FAMILY.TRISTAN "NEITHERCOVID NOR ADOPTIONARE THINGS YOU THINKABOUT MOST DAYSWHEN YOU HAVE ANINFANT, YOU THINK 'DIDHE GO TO THEBATHROOM?

WHEN'SHIS NEXT FEEDINGDUE?'"TAYLOR "AND THEKEELAN FAMILY IS NOTALONE.

ADOPTIONSTAR HAS HAD ASURPRISINGLY BUSYYEAR PLACINGCHILDREN DURING THEPANDEMIC."MICHAEL "IF PEOPLECAN BE FLEXIBLE ANDPATIENTS, ULTIMATELY,PLACEMENTS ARETRANSPIRING ANDTRANSPIRING INNUMBERS THAT ARESHOCKING US."SO FAR THIS YEAR 48CHILDREN HAVE BEENPLACED THROUGHADOPTION STAR..ANAMHERST BASEDADOPTION AGENCY..THAT'S ALREADY MORETHAN LAST YEAR ANDTHE YEAR BEFORETHAT...THEY'RE ALSO SEEINGMORE PEOPLELOOKING TO ADOPT.MICHAEL "MAYBETHAT'S KIND OF AREFLECTION OFCOVID-19 ENTERINGPEOPLE'S LIVES ANDMAYBE THISREALIZATION THAT AFAMILY IS SOMETHING IREALLY WANT..WHYWAIT?"HILL SAYS THEY'REABLE HANDLE MOSTTHINGS VIRTUALLY.AND IF YOU'RETHINKING ABOUTADOPTION, THERE ARETHOUSANDS OFCHILDREN LOOKINGFOR PERMANENTHOMES.MICHAEL "THEY NEEDFAMILIES.

THAT NEEDFOR CHILD PLACEMENTHAS NOT GONE AWAYIN THE MIDST OF THEPANDEMIC."TRISTAN "ADOPTIONS AWONDERFUL THING.IT'S A STORY WE'LLTELL HIM.

IT'S GOT ALOT OF PIECES TO IT,BUT THAT'S HIS STORY."TAYLOR EPPS, 7EWN.