“They had them in four different homes, four different cities … They deserve to be raised as siblings, and that was my fight.” What an incredible story!

A foster child’s life must be changed in order to become a foster parent. These folks are kind and considerate, and they are always willing to welcome children in need of affection and kindness into their homes and hearts.

For the past 20 years, Lamont Thomas, a resident of Buffalo, New York, has dedicated his life to fostering children. This incredible father tells Good Morning America, “At first, I was helping out some friends,” when discussing the moment he welcomed his first child. Their child was lost to the system. I continued and obtained my certification to become a foster parent. Since then, I haven’t stopped.

Unbelievably, Lamont has fostered over thirty children, five of whom he has formally adopted. He therefore became a father to seven children with his two biological children, Anthony and LaMonica.

Michael Thomas is Lamont’s first adopted child. Now that he is 27 years old, he remembers when he first joined the family.

Michael remarked, “It turned out to be my forever home—he was my third foster home.” “[He] was aware of my biological parents.”

Michael went on, “Lamont never turned [a child] away.” “They returned home to their own families or they aged out.”

Lamont had decided he was done adopting after taking care of seven children alone, but he was persuaded to reconsider after seeing an extremely unique case.

Five siblings aged 5,4,3,2 and 1, who were children of one of Lamont’s foster kids were placed in foster homes themselves. Lamont was sad the kids got to experience their parent’s fate, and his heart tore apart when he learned Zendaya, Jamel, Nakia, Major, and Michaela were separated. Not only they were taken in by four different families, but they were also in four different cities.

Sadly, that meant one thing, that they wouldn’t be raised together.

That’s when Lamont stepped in. He just couldn’t let the siblings spend their childhood without being by each other’s side so he re-certified as a foster parent and adopted all of them.
Some of his older kids had moved from the house already and had families on their own, so Lamont knew he was making the right decision as he could devote all his time to the new addition to the family.

“I was fighting to keep back the tears,” he said of his adoption day with Judge Lisa Rodwin. “Every day I think about it, my eyes swell up. All that we endured to make this happen, it was something.”

This incredible single dad was now a father of 12 children. He knew things wouldn’t be easy, but he was willing to give it a go.

“They bring new energy to me,” Lamont shared. “They’re lovable kids, very affectionate. They deserve to be raised as siblings, and that was my fight.”

Everyone who knows Lamont says he’s the most special person they’ve ever met. He made huge impact in the life of every kid that has ever been part of his family, and now he’s doing the same thing for their kids as well.
“It’s amazing he’s taking on all of them,” LaMonica told the morning show. “He does anything for everybody. He’s a really a great man.”

Michael added that Lamont somehow felt fostering was his call, and he can never reject someone in need of parental love.

“We’re all grown now. I can’t believe he’s started all over again,” Michael shared. “Lamont has been a life-saver to me. I wouldn’t be the person that I am today, had Lamont not ventured in my life.”

Lamont never expected anything in return, he only hopes that his story will inspire other people to be part of the fostering system as the need for foster families increases every single day.

“I wanted to make a difference by being a difference,” he shared. “And I love what I do.”

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