By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — It was years in the planning, and a couple in Knox have finally adopted a baby girl last week.
As you may recall, Susan and Ralph Downing, of Knox, had been collecting shoes as part of a program that would help cover adoption costs. While that fell short (they collected some 1,400 shoes!), a story by News Now Warsaw and two other media outlets spotlighted their efforts.
The adoption process dragged on for nearly a year with numerous false hopes, but they finally got the call a week ago.
“Sure enough, Tuesday, about noon, I get a call that, ‘Hey, we have a mom in the hospital, they had a baby this morning,’ ” Susan said. “Within five hours, I was in Columbus, Indiana, holding the little girl in my arms.”
Susan credits her faith in God as well as media attention which she believes led one person to offer to cover all remaining costs.
“The media attention definitely helped a lot,” she said. “I think more than anything, I just loved people coming by and chatting with them. It was an awesome time.”
Gracelyn Rose was born five weeks premature but quickly improved within a day or two.
Susan, 39, and Ralph, 42, had been trying to conceive since they got married nearly five years ago.
She said the adoption is semi-open and that they are providing basic details but that the birth mother is intentionally remaining distant for now.
Susan’s message to the public is simple.
“Thank you, everybody, for their heart, for their passion and generosity,” she said.
As it turns out, as the adoption process dragged on, they simultaneously began looking at fostering children and had recently been approved for adoption.
Susan said they would continue looking at that option, but for now, they are focused on Gracelyn.
“My love for this child, even though she might not be my flesh and blood, is just amazing,” she said.
