You don’t have to be a parent to know that all children are worthy of a chance in life. Some, through no fault of their own, are born into more difficult circumstances than others, but all little boys and girls are equally beautiful, equally deserving of love and respect.
When I look back on my childhood, I’m immensely grateful that it was a happy time. Relatively speaking, I wanted for nothing, and I never felt anything less than appreciated and adored.
Sadly, the harsh reality is that not every child benefits from a stable environment growing up. Some are born into poverty, others into homes where abuse is prevalent.
Others still, like the little boy who is the subject of this story, are orphaned, forced to grow up without the natural love and care afforded by a mother or father…
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According to reports, Priscilla Morse was scrolling through her social media newsfeed back in 2015 when she happened upon a photo that would quite literally change her life.
It was of a starving, emaciated young boy named Ryan. Having lost both his parents, he lived in a Bulgarian orphanage, but it was abundantly clear that life had not been kind to him during his short spell on Earth.
Priscilla and her partner David were already parents of three, but they felt a call to action that they simply couldn’t ignore. Incredibly, they decided they were going to adopt Ryan – he was meant to be their son, they concluded, and they his parents.
I posted this picture on my personal wall the other day. Sometimes it takes my breath away to look back at just how…
Posted by Saving Baby Ryan on Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Now, Priscilla and David knew that this wasn’t a step to be taken lightly. On top of their two sons, they had also adopted a little girl who had Down syndrome and a heart defect. Simply put, adding Ryan to the mix would undoubtedly give them a lot more to do.
That said, they were also aware that there was every chance the little boy might die without their intervention. Ultimately, Priscilla packed her bags and flew to Bulgaria to adopt Ryan and bring him home to Tennessee.
Sadly, Ryan’s condition and overall health was even worse than first feared. He was reportedly living with dwarfism, scoliosis, cerebral palsy, and clubfoot, while his body was so lacking in fat that he had grown a thick coat of dark hair in a bid to keep himself warm.
Merry Christmas from Ryan!
Posted by Saving Baby Ryan on Friday, December 25, 2015
Priscilla and David completed their adoption and brought Ryan back to the US. They were told not to hold out too much hope of him living long, but Ryan proved himself to be a soul blessed with a true warrior’s spirit.
According to Priscilla, she took Ryan to a children’s hospital in Nashville upon landing in the Tennessee. The doctors there simply couldn’t believe that he was seven years old
Despite all the adversity he’d faced in his life, Ryan began to make a recovery. His journey included countless hospital visits and a tremendous amount of work and tender care on the parts of Priscilla and David, but seeing his adorable little smile makes it all worth while.
Adoption is a beautiful picture of redemption. It is the Gospel in my living room. -Katie Davis
Posted by Saving Baby Ryan on Saturday, October 8, 2016
Priscilla established a Facebook page named Saving Baby Ryan to keep those interested updated as to her son’s life. She still regularly posts pictures of Ryan to show his awe-inspiring recovery to the page’s 67,000 followers.
These days, Ryan looks a far cry from the feeble child he was when Priscilla first saw his photo.
Priscilla said: “The skeletal near death child crying in pain…he doesn’t exist anymore. He’s gone forever and he’s been replaced with a chubby, giggly, happy boy who loves kisses and tickles. He rolls all over and can be a naughty little butterball!”
Fattie patty is 23 pounds and has chubbed out of his 18m clothes. If you're selling 24m, let me know bc I'm buying!
Posted by Saving Baby Ryan on Monday, November 28, 2016
I don’t know about you, but this story moved me to tears! Here’s to wishing Ryan all the very best moving forward. Thank you, Priscilla and David, for all the hard work you’ve put in.
If you found this story as inspirational as we did, check out the one below for more similar content.
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