By the afternoon of December 5, David Eaton, associate professor of history, was starting to get the sense that the adoption hearing earlier that day for his son Michael, with his kindergarten class as onlookers, was catching wider attention.
He knew CNN was interested. A couple of news outlets had already posted the story. There were some social media posts.
Just a few hours later, the story of Eaton and his spouse Andrea Melvin formalizing their forever family with Michael and a cheering section of kindergartners with handmade heart wands was on the evening news and spreading quickly across social media. And then came the morning shows.
About a year ago, Eaton and Melvin took in Michael as a foster child. Eaton described Michael as a gregarious child who quickly adjusted.
Michael has found in his kindergarten classmates support and a deep sense of belonging. When asked if he would like his classmates to attend the adoption hearing, which is generally attended only by family members, Michael replied: "In a way, the class is my family."
Here is a sampling of media coverage of their happy moments as part of Kent County's Adoption Day, when dozens of families formalized adoptions.
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