Adoption hearing took an unexpected turn when teen boy asked to speak — the judge handed him the gavel instantly

Sarah Cozad and her husband, Stuart Shank, couldn't hold back their tears when their adopted son, Dayshawn, opened up in front of the judge on the day of his adoption. The boy, 13, was finally happy that he and his baby brother, Michael, 6, now have a family that they had always craved. "They all love us. We love them; our whole family is the best thing we've ever had," Dayshawn told the judge.

The couple wasn't new to fostering; in fact, Cozad had informed Shank of her plans to become a foster parent within 10 minutes of their first date. Over the years, they fostered 14 kids altogether, but Dayshawn and his baby brother, Michael, stole their hearts forever. They met Michael first, and it was during a supervised sibling visit that they met Dayshawn for the first time. "We fell in love with Dayshawn the second he opened his mouth," Cozad told Good Morning America. While the couple loves both their sons equally, they believe Michael is more reserved, whereas Dayshawn is more open and outgoing. "He defies every stereotype of a teenage boy," she added.

While the couple now has an amazing bond with Dayshawn, things weren't always hunky-dory. Cozad was only 23 when the boy, then 10, came to live with them, but it was through various parenting coaches that the couple finally learned to parent an older child. Dayshawn, aware of the impact his adoptive family has on him, didn't shy away from confessing the same in front of the judge. "I'm glad to have these people in my life. I'm glad to be their son. They're the best thing I've ever had. If I could wish for anything in the world, I would wish I could just love these people for the rest of my life," he said. Everyone in the courtroom was overwhelmed by Dayshawn's confession; in fact, the judge handed him the gavel so he could officially say 'yes' to his adoption.

Meanwhile, reacting to Dayshawn's confession, @mmafighter38113 commented, "Taking any child out of foster care and giving them a permanent family has to be one of the most noble things a human can do." @pacifiquenteta pointed out, "See how the mother broke into tears when the boy said, 'They are the best thing that ever happened to us.' She loved them but also needed to hear those kinds of words coming from the kids." @johnbasbastv6052 shared, "Giving birth to a child doesn't automatically mean you're a mother. This just proved that point."

Similarly, @kevin6988 shared, "I was adopted when I was 3 from an abusive orphanage in Saint Petersburg, Russia. I am very grateful to be able to come to Florida and have the proper care I needed. My dad always said, 'Making a baby is the easy part; raising one is where you really have the right to call yourself a parent.'" @caseykunz7800 commented, "Being someone who is adopted, whenever I see a video like this, I can't help but smile. Those boys have a mom and dad who love them beyond words!" @goodonyamate287 commented, "As a kid of the system, I can tell you this is huge. That 13-year-old has incredible opportunities now, and his 6-year-old brother will look up to him forever. God bless this family."

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