Woman with no family after parents' death goes through life-changing adoption at 37

No matter how big our social circle is, at the end of the day, all that matters is being with one's family. Unfortunately, not everyone is blessed with a happy family that sticks together. Even if they are, there's no guarantee that it will last forever. The life story of Lynn Lafferty, who goes by @peachybeachin on TikTok, was full of such tragedies. At one point in her life, she was left with no family after her parents passed away and her brother decided not to have any relationship with her. However, her deceased mom's second husband became a pillar of support.

In a TikTok slideshow, Lafferty, a 43-year-old mom of two, shared the sequence of events that left her miserable in life until her stepdad, Steve, set things right. In 1980, Lafferty lost her biological dad to meningitis when she was just a baby, according to Newsweek. Less than a year later, her mom, a young widow and a high school dropout, remarried Steve. Saying that it was a marriage of convenience, Lafferty added, "She loved him but she was never in love." Lafferty was barely over a year old when Steve entered her life as a father figure. But Lafferty's mom never let Steve adopt her and her brother.

In 2016, Lafferty's mom took her own life after years of battling mental illness. Now, the only family member Lafferty had left by blood was her brother—but unfortunately, they weren't on amicable terms either. In her slides, the 43-year-old pointed out that she didn't know where her brother was and that he told her that he was no longer her brother. "I haven't talked to my brother in a few years. I have family [who] knows where he is, but our relationship was strained after our mom passed because we had differences in opinions about our upbringing," she said.

So with no parents alive and a brother who disowned her, Lafferty was left with practically no family. However, her stepdad Steve had been a constant presence in her life. After her mom's death, Lafferty's husband suggested that Steve adopt her. "He gave me and my dad a consultation with a lawyer for Christmas in 2016, and he told us we needed to make it official. It was really a symbolic gesture, but we also realized that the adoption would help us in other ways—end-of-life choices and legal decisions—so it made 100 percent sense," she explained. So, when Lafferty was 37, she was legally adopted by Steve who then became the "Paw Paw" for her two children. This viral story touched many viewers on TikTok.

Amid much heartfelt appreciation for Steve, some also came forward to be Lafferty's brother or sister. "Steve is the man for this. I’m so glad you finally have the family you wanted," said @dannisandi21. "He's awesome and hey if you want a sibling or someone to talk to I'll be happy to do it, my older sisters disowned me, I know the feeling," reassured @bohoshay_. "Steve is a stand-up guy. You deserve one another," lauded @skercrunch. "That's a deep story. And that's a rough life. Glad to see that positive twist at the end," added @ron_george_spfx.

You can follow Lynn (@peachybeachin) on TikTok for more wholesome family content.