Widow adopts 6 siblings who helped her heal from the grief of losing her husband: 'Saved each other'

Bobbie-Jo Floyd lived a regular life with her husband Andre and was a stay-at-home mom of two boys, Jeremai and Elyjah. But her world flipped over for the worse when her husband lost his life in a motorcycle crash back on October 19, 2014. Floyd was struck by overwhelming grief and was devastated at the loss of her beloved. For the following eight months, she "curled up in a ball on the floor" often and grieved for him.

"I was petrified of moving forward without him," she admitted to PEOPLE. To mark the second anniversary of Andre's death, Floyd and her sons released balloons at Philadelphia's Penn's Landing. After that, the widow and mom received a phone call which changed her life forever. Floyd was called up by child welfare workers who asked if she could foster two sisters. Floyd was fond of children and loved caring for them so she readily signed up to be their foster mom.

However, when the social workers turned up at her three-bedroom residence in Philadelphia, they had Destiny, 11, Serenity, 7 and their 9-year-old brother Lysander with them. "They were going to drop him someplace else," Floyd told the outlet in 2021. "I asked, 'If I can get another bunk bed, can he stay?' We had a lot of fun with them. I just wanted them to experience life and have fun at our house. They just wanted love and attention and they were the happiest kids."

Soon after, Floyd came to know about three more siblings in foster care named Honesty, Adrian and August. The determined mom wasted no time in reaching out to social workers and the court so she could take them in. "I was begging, 'I'll do whatever I have to do,'" she recalled. "I got to get these kids together." Thankfully, her wishes came true and in February 2020, Floyd was about to permanently adopt the four youngest kids and the adoption of the two older children was finalized soon after.

"I think we saved each other's lives," Floyd shared. "They saved my life too. I'm not sad anymore." Floyd's new happy family included eight children ranging from age 6 to 17 and she even got help from her older sister Kimberly Bobb to help her take care of the children. According to the outlet, the big family was planning to move to a larger home in Texas. "I believe this was all Andre giving me a sign. He knew what would keep me going. I thank him every day for giving me these kids," she said.

There are many families in the country who are interested in fostering children but it isn't an easy task. According to Mariel Hufnagel who is the executive director of CASA of Union County, New Jersey, no foster parent is ever fully prepared to take up the responsibilities and that is normal. "You will make mistakes," she explained. "Consistency, structure and unconditional love is the recipe for success."

If anyone in the United States wants to foster a child, they should know that home assessments, licensing and costs to take up the responsibility vary from state to state. A willing foster parent should consult with local agencies to get clarity on the foster care system in their state and be prepared for the emotional and financial tolls that come along with it. But if someone is not ready to be a foster parent, they can contribute by acting as a volunteer in the foster care system. As for Floyd, she continues to document life with all her kids on social media to this date.