Precious video captures the moment a little boy realizes how much his adoptive family loves him

Globally, over 260k children are adopted annually, but not everyone experiences the family they deserve. While many dream of acceptance, only a few find love that never fades. Similarly, when Abby Jo Tiefel (@abbyjotiefel) adopted a boy, she wanted him to feel truly at home, surrounded by love he craved — and the moment he realized that was both powerful and touching. The now-deleted video, taken on the little boy's birthday, was posted on TikTok in April 2023.

It was his birthday, and Abby had arranged for an elaborate birthday celebration for their adorable baby boy. When his dad surprised him with a custom-made bowling alley cake, he looked thrilled. The child stared at everyone, soaking in every bit of the unconditional love he was receiving. In fact, it was the moment when Abby's adoptive child realized how much his parents love him. His face lit up with a grin as wide as the sky, and his twinkling eyes confessed just how much the boy had craved for a loving family. "He was in awe. He is so loved," Abby recalled. 

As Abby's video continued to gain traction, reaching 4 million views, she posted another clip of her son opening his birthday gifts. In a room full of presents, the boy went on opening his gifts, looking excited each time he saw something packed with love, exclusively for him. A safe home, lovely parents, the best birthday celebration, and oh-so-cool gifts — the boy was finally experiencing everything he deserved, and the realization made his heart flutter.

Abby left no stone unturned to ensure that their son feels what he deserves and accepts her as his mom. Their bond stands as an exception to the alarming report that says nearly 27% of adopted children display symptoms of abuse or neglect. Moreover, around 15% of children who are adopted have experienced some form of maltreatment before adoption, which means kids aren't exactly safe in foster homes or wherever they stay before adoption. In fact, Gitnux says that children in foster care are at a higher risk of experiencing abuse. Well, reports even indicate that 25-50% of foster children have been abused at some point.

These traumatic experiences can sometimes lead to behavioral problems in kids, which adoptive parents who really want to give these children a healthy life have to deal with for a long period. Meanwhile, the beautiful video received an overwhelming response, leaving people emotional on social media. For instance, "He looks like a Disney character. I hope all his dreams come true," commented @thezeebabe. Similarly, a user who goes by @problemantical said, "Dear sweet gentle boy. It’s okay to be gentle, and it’s okay to be kind. It’s okay to be quiet, and it’s okay to be shy. The world needs you."

Another user, @alexiswinchester_, wrote, "This was like an adorable Disney movie scene." Echoing the sentiments, @galeyalix wrote, "I’m sobbing. This is the purest thing to witness." @ravennavera commented, "Omg wow! This is like looking into the brain of someone’s core memory. I feel like I am in an emotional Disney movie."

You can follow Abby Jo Tiefel (@abbyjotiefel) on TikTok for more parenting content.