News Anchor Moved to Tears When She's Surprised by Child She Helped Find Forever Home
It’s got to be tough to be a news anchor these days. Not only are you tasked with informing viewers about horrific events, they know how to defend every word they say against accusations of being “fake news.”
It’s unlikely that anyone who went into journalism did so with nefarious intentions. Like most selected professions, they entered to make a difference — some even wanted to change the declining perception of news and media.
As an anchor for WFAA news in Plano, Texas, Gloria Campos created a very special weekly segment.
A topic close to her heart, Wednesday Adoption Stories featured local children up for adoption with the hope that the additional coverage would accelerate their prospects of finding a “forever home.”
In 2007, Campos featured then 8-year-old Ke’onte. He was bright, loved karate, and seemed to already have a grasp on The Golden Rule.
Campos’ feature did put Ke’onte on the fast track to home placement, but it wasn’t a good fit. The adoption fell through and Ke’onte was back to square one.
Campos wasn’t ready to give up on this boy within whom she saw great potential. In 2009, she featured Ke’onte again.
That day, Carol and Scott Cook were watching, heard Ke’onte’s story and felt like Campos was talking directly to them. They quickly set up a video chat with Ke’onte, the first step in what has become a successful adoption process.
Ke’onte has grown into a handsome young man full of life. He is excelling in school, enjoys outdoor activities, dancing, and has become a big brother!
Still wise behind his years, Ke’onte believes that his life would have been vastly different without Campos’ help. “I want to say to her: thank you so much because you’ve made my life worth while and that you’ve helped me become the person I am right now,” Ke’onte told reporters in a segment that aired before the big surprise.
“I probably would have been worse off if you had not helped me out,” he concluded. Campos, completely unaware of what would happen next, responded to the segment fondly, happy to know that the “karate boy” was happy and doing so well.
Next thing she knows, Ke’onte, then 12, was on set to thank her in person. In a touching on-air moment, Ke’onte embraced his advocate as Campos broke down in tears.
“I’m so happy that you’re happy,” Campos sobbed. She followed up with important questions such as, “You’re happy, right? And you love your family?” Thankfully, Ke’onte’s response was affirmative and he even came prepared with some tissue for the newscaster.
I suppose a seasoned professional knows that a segment can be made to look like anything. Her need to know that his happiness was not for show just shows the genuine compassion and care she has for the children she featured.
Having worked with children looking to be placed in “forever homes,” I know how difficult and precarious the task can be for the children, their workers, and the prospective families. It’s truly heartbreaking when a potential home falls through at any stage in the process.
There are so many children in the foster care system across the country looking for families that will raise them as their own. As exemplified by Ke’onte, successful placement increases their chances of long and prosperous lives compared to those who stay in the system until they are adults.
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