DISCOVERED.
ERIKA TARANTAL STARTS US OFF WITH HER STORY.
ERIKA: AS A CHILD, SHE NEVER QUESTIONED WHAT SHE WANTED TO BE WHEN SHE GREW UP.
>> I ALWAYS HAD TWO DREAMS, TO BE A NURSE AND A MOM.
ERIKA: AFTER GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE SHE MOVED UP THE NURSING RANKS QUICKLY, BECOMING DIRECTOR OF NURSING AT BOSTON’S FRANCISCAN CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL.
>> IT WAS EASY FOR ME BUT BECOMING A MOM WAS NOT.
I STRUGGLED WITH NAVIGATING THROUGH TOUGH RELATIONSHIPS AND TRYING TO FIND MY WAY.
I WAS CAREER FOCUSED FOR A LONG TIME AND LOVED IT.
BY THE TIME I PUT THOUGHT IN TO IT I WAS IN MY EARLY 40’S.
ERIKA: AND RESIGNED TO NOT BEING A MOM.
HER SISTER KNEW SOMETHING WAS OFF.
>> SHE KNEW I WAS NOT MYSELF, NOT AS HAPPY AS I TYPICALLY WAS.
SHE SAID, I THINK YOU NEED TO EXPLORE HAVING A CHILD ON YOUR OWN.
ERIKA: SHE BEGAN BY CONSULTING WITH VERTRO THAT FERTILITY SPECIALISTS.
>> I JUST NEED ONE EGG, AND I WAS THE WITH HOPE AND THOUGHT, THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
THE IDEA OF DOING IT ALONE IS SCARY BU AT THAT TIME I MADE THE DECISION THAT IS WHAT I WANTED.
IT TURNED QUICKLY.
ERIKA: HER DOCTORS CALLED WITH HEARTBREAKING NEWS.
>> IT WAS YOUR CLINICAL PICTURE HAS CHANGED AND IT REALLY RULED ME OUT FOR ANY ATTEMPTS TO HAVE A CHILD ON MY OWN.
AND THAT IS WHEN I WAS JUST DEVASTATED.
I WANT TO THAT FEELING OF CARRYING A CHILD AND DELIVERING A BABY AND EXPERIENCING WHAT MY MOM HAD.
THERE IS SUCH A PRESSURE AS A WOMAN TO GET MARRIED AND HAVE CHILDREN ON A CERTAIN TIMELINE AND I HAD THAT IN MY MIND.
ERIKA: SHE PUT HER HEART AND SOUL INTO HER WORK, NEVER EXPECTING WHAT HAPPENED NEXT.
>> I WALKED OUT OF INPATIENT AND THIS -- WHO IS THAT ANGEL?
THEY SAID THIS IS GISELLE.
THESE BIG BLUE EYES WERE -- ALL OF MY EMOTIONS AND CONVERSATIONS, I SAID THIS IS MEANT TO BE.
LOOKING AT HER, I KNEW SHE NEEDED ME AS MUCH AS I NEEDED HER.
ERIKA: GISELLE, BORN AT 29 WEEKS, WEIGHING ONE POUND, 14 OUNCES, SUFFERED FROM NEONATAL ABSTINENCE -- ABSENCE SYNDROME BECAUSE SHE WAS EXPOSED TO DRUGS.
THE STATE RULED HER PARENTS UNFIT AND WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY.
SMITH BECAME GISELLE’S FOSTER MOTHER, KNOWING THE INFANT COULD BE REUNIFIED WITH HER BIRTH.
SPERRY AND >> I KNEW IT WAS -- WITH HER PARENTS.
>> I KNEW IT WAS A POSSIBILITY.
THE STATE UNDERSTANDABLY DOES EVERYTHING TO REUNIFY KIDS WITH BIRTH PARENTS BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF THAT TO IT.
IN THIS CASE THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF HER.
ERIKA: SMITH’S MEDICAL BACKGROUND MADE HER AN IDEAL CANDIDATE TO BECOME GISELLE’S MOTHER.
THIS WAS FINALIZED OCTOBER 18, 2018.
NOW IT IS YOU AND GISELLE AT HOME AND SHE CALLS YOU MOM.
YOU FEEL FULFILLED?
>> I DO AND BEYOND.
EVERY TIME I HEAR IT, I CAN’T BELIEVE IT.
ERIKA: GISELLE WAS ADOPTED FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES EVEN THOUGH DCF ADOPTIONS ARE ON THE RISE, 1200 CHILDREN IN DCF CUSTODY ARE AWAITING NEW HOMES.
THIS IS A PRIVATE NONPROFIT CORPORATION THAT CONTRACTS WITH THE STATE TO HELP THOSE LOOKING TO ADOPT THROUGH DCF.
>> THE CHILDREN IN STATE CARE HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT.
THEY HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO HELP PROVIDE THEM WITH A FUTURE.
EVERYBODY NEEDS A FAMILY, NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE, YOU NEED A LOVING SUPPORTIVE FAMILY.
THE WAY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR THESE CHILDREN IS TO CONNECT THEM WITH APPARENT WHO CAN ADOPT AND BE THAT SUPPORT FOR THEM.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO KNOW THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR COST FOR A FAMILY THAT ADOPTS THROUGH THE STATE.
>> YOU WANT TO DO IT TOGETHER?
>> YEAH.
KATIE: WHILE GISELE IS STILL DEALING WITH MEDICAL CHALLENGES, SHE IS THRIVING.
SOME OF HER FAVORITE THINGS ARE PLAYING DR. THERE IN HANGING OUT WITH MOM.
-- PLAYING DR., HANGING OUT WITH MOM AND SINGING HER SPECIAL SONG.
>> ME AND YOU.
SHE GOES, YOU AND ME -- ALL THE TIME, THE TWO OF US.
I CAN’T EXPLAIN HOW I FEEL WHEN THAT COMES UP.
IT IS A BOND I NEVER EXPERIENCED . [APPLAUSE] [LAUGHTER] SHAYNA: SO SWEET AND SHE HAS ADVICE FOR WOMEN WHO THINK
MOTHERHOOD IS NOT IN THE CARDS FOR THEM.
BE OPEN TO THINGS YOU DON’T PLAN FOR, LIKE ADOPTION.
SHE SAID FOSTERING AND ADOPTING TRANSFORMED BOTH OF THEIR LIVES.
CAMBRIDGE FAMILY AND CHILDREN’S SERVICE HELPS PROSPECTIVE PARENTS NAVIGATE VARIOUS SITUATIONS, WORKING WITH CHILDREN IN DCF AND THOSE WITH MEDICAL ISSUES.
THEY AIM TO FIND A FOREVER HOME FOR EVERYONE.