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FaceTime Helped a Deployed Father Watch His Kids’ Adoption Ceremony Live
Thanks to technology, one man from Texas was able to see the adoption of his children, even though he was halfway around the world.
Francisco Santiago and his wife, Ana, officially made their family of two a family of four on October 5 after adopting their foster children Ian, 4, and Asia, 3. However, Santiago was working halfway around the world when the exciting news came in.
Luckily, Santiago, who works as a supply technician for a company contracted by the United States Army and is currently working in Africa, was able to join his wife and children on FaceTime for the adoption ceremony.
In 2014, the couple became foster parents and later welcomed Ian and Asian into their home seven months later.
“It was a long time coming for that moment,” Ana Santiago shared with People. “And having my husband there, over FaceTime, to see it, made it so special.”
She continued, “It was 2:00 a.m. over there. But you could tell he was so, so happy to finally get to this point!”
Santiago was joined by other extended family members on the video conference, where he was able to see his kids “smiling and running around” at the ceremony.
After learning that Santiago and his wife could not have children of their own, they decided to become foster parents.
“I would have needed fertility medication to have a child, which my insurance doesn’t cover,” Ana Santiago explained. “I said to Francisco, ‘We have room in our home and I want to give love to a child.’ God hadn’t opened those doors for us, but why not, if we can provide love?”
Santiago’s wife hesitated to become so attached to the foster children knowing they could be relocated.
“I was afraid to get too attached because I knew they could leave, but after a few weeks getting to know them, I couldn’t help it,” she shared. “We signed up to foster, we knew what it entailed, but our goal was just to make them as safe and as happy as possible.”
She continued, “But I did fall in love with them. And when we found out they would be available for adoption a few months after becoming their foster parents, we were overjoyed, because it just felt right.”
On December 15, Santiago will officially be reunited with his family.
“We’re officially a family!” she says. “The moment we are all together again will be so special. Asia keeps asking for daddy and saying she misses him.”
