15-year-old Damien Lanning has been through some tough challenges in his life. He has dealt with kidney disease and was in foster care because social services couldn’t find a family willing and able to meet his medical needs.
A few years ago, things got so bad that Damien was forced to leave school and move into a hospital.
Along the way, though, he also had some good fortune. He met a middle school math teacher named Finn Lanning, and things started turning around for Damien.
Finn learned about Damien’s kidney disease when Damien explained that he had to leave school and move into that hospital.
Finn — a longtime bachelor — stepped up. He stood by Damien’s side as a foster parent as Damien got a much-needed kidney transplant.
And then, a few months ago, Finn went even further and adopted Damien.
The surgery was a success and Damien is now a healthy, thriving teenager, who calls the arrangement he has with his new dad, Finn, “a dream come true.” (CBS News)
