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More happily-ever-afters abound as the adoptions of three Haitian orphans are finalized in Pittsburgh on Thursday. The children had been brought to Holy Family Institute (HFI) after the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti. 

Twelve-year-old Fekens found his forever home in Pittsburgh with parents Michael and Eileen Dusch and siblings Michael, 23, and Danielle, 20. Says Eileen, who works as a case manager at HFI, “I just feel we were blessed with him. He makes us laugh. Even just running across the street, I said, ‘Fekens, put your shoes on!’ He said, ‘We didn’t have shoes in Haiti!’”

Now in sixth grade, Fekens plays soccer and baseball and enjoys going to the movies and shopping with his older siblings. He still keeps in touch with the other Haitian children he met while at HFI, speaking his native language, Creole, on the phone with his friends who were adopted by families in Illinois and Colorado.

Thirteen-year-old Stanley and nine-year-old Kensly will join their adoptive parents Michael and Carmen Owens, as well as new siblings Keenan, 17, Quintin, 15, Melina, 13, Makena, 13, Ayden, 11, and Gavin, 8. Like Fekens, Stanley and Kensly have adjusted well and are excelling both academically and athletically. Both families would like to thank everyone in the Pittsburgh area who has shown the children such kindness and generosity.

 Their adoptions will be finalized the morning of Thursday, March 22, at the Allegheny County Orphans Court, with the Dusch and Owens families hosting a private reception afterwards at Holy Family’s Emsworth facility to celebrate.

These adoptions are the last to be finalized of the 18 children who were placed at HFI on the evening of January 21, 2010. While the Haitian children have moved on to join their new families, HFI still helps countless children and families in Pennsylvania and beyond through the generous support of donors like you. With your help, we can ensure that even more children get the happily-ever-afters they all deserve.