CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) _ Southwest Florida empty nesters are adopting several students from their school after learning the students were in foster care.
Esther and Chris Berry run a school for exceptional students and soon discovered that several students were waiting to be adopted.
The couple’s five children are now grown, but the Berry wanted to expand their family so they adopted siblings, 16-year-old Melissa and her 17-year-old brother Willie in 2011.
On Thursday, the Berrys adopted 17-year-old Stephan and 10-year-old Dajah.
The couple also plans to adopt 17-year-old Christopher later this year.
Stephan and Willie have been friends since kindergarten.
Foster teens and siblings are among the hardest to find permanent homes for.
Esther Berry said they were put on this earth to parent children who need their love and attention.
