Pictured to the right is Riley — a thoughtful and caring young actress who loves theatre, swimming and all things Disneyland. Today, Riley is thriving alongside her parents, Greg and Nick. Looking at them, you might never know the challenges they faced on their path to becoming a family.
The year was 2013, and Greg and Nick had just tied the knot. As educators — Greg a math teacher and Nick an arts administrator — they shared a love for learning and community. They also shared a dream: to start a family through adoption. But it wasn’t long before they hit roadblocks.
It would be four more years before LGBTQ+ couples could legally adopt nationwide, and one year until marriage equality itself was federally recognized. These barriers limited their options and made an already emotional process even more challenging. Greg and Nick refused to give up. They went from agency to agency, searching for someone they could “put their hope and trust in,” Nick says. That’s when they discovered The Cradle.
“Everyone we worked with was phenomenal,” Greg says. “They were extremely professional, but also personal and compassionate. Striking that balance was remarkable.”
Enter Riley. She was born prematurely at just 28 weeks, weighing only two and a half pounds (a far cry from the average full-term birthweight of seven pounds). As a result, she faced significant health complications and spent her first two months of life in intensive care.
Once stable, Riley was transferred to the Cradle Nursery, a nurturing and comfortable space where her condition could be monitored closely by licensed nurses. For the next three weeks, Riley received around-the-clock care as she awaited placement. Finally, on a snowy afternoon in January, Riley went home with Greg and Nick, and their new life as a family began.
Today, Riley is a thriving 11-year-old. “She’s happy, healthy, kind and well-adjusted — what more could you ask for as a parent?” Greg says. “It’s been a joy to watch her grow and develop her own personality.”
Greg and Nick always talk about adoption as “the most positive and celebratory thing,” a perspective that may have helped shape Riley into the thoughtful person she is today.
“She’s always been quick to form loving relationships, in part because she’s learned from the beginning that family is more about love than blood. I like to believe that adoption taught her a larger lesson there,” Nick says.
Reflecting on their journey, Nick adds, “We look back and are so grateful we chose The Cradle. We wouldn’t have a family if not for them.”
