Fmr. foster child's life comes full circle after becoming foster parent

AUBURN, AL (WSFA) - Currently in Alabama, there are over 6,000 children in foster care.

For one Alabama man, who grew up in foster care system before being adopted, his life has now come full circle.

About 2-years-ago, Richard Oden, and his wife Brittany, opened their hearts and home to three foster children in Lee County. Now they have adopted them.

Elijah, 6, Kentrell, 5, and Gabby, 3, were in foster care for 1,008 days. On Jan. 29, 2016 these siblings stopped having to add on to that number as they officially became members of the Oden family.

For their adoptive father Richard, this is a day he knows could have turned out very differently. It wasn't so long ago that he was in their shoes.

Between the age of 3 and 11, Richard went to nine different foster homes before being adopted by Gerry and Debbie Oden. Now he and his wife are excited about making memories with their two sons and two daughters.

"My boys are my boys and I love them, but I don't get to walk them down the aisle on their wedding day. To know that I get to represent Gabby as her father and walk her down the aisle is very special. That feeling really hit home on the adoption day. We are super excited for all of them," said Richard Oden.

Richard is currently working on a book to share his story. He hopes it will encourage others to open their hearts and homes to foster children across the state.

Oden's book is scheduled to be released on Veterans Day of this year. For more information you can email richardbrittany10@gmail.com. 

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