DePaul Expressions Spring 2025

Love for Liam Story by Alison Wickline-Burns | Photos by Taylored Images

Danny and Jenny always imagined themselves as parents. But they could never have imagined the journey, full of ups and downs and highs and lows, that would bring them their son, Liam. “He is the missing piece of our family,” said Jenny. “We feel like everything happened so we could be led to him.” After years of fertility struggles and loss, Jenny and Danny decided it was time to reimagine their family plan and consider adoption. They learned about the foster-to-adopt process and soon after, found DePaul ’s foster care program and began training. “We chose to start slowly with respite care, which means we would care for a child short term when thei r fos ter parent needed a break,” said Jenny. “We wanted to be sure our hearts were ready.” So, they opened their hearts and home to 3-year-old Liam. Their weekend together turned into much more after it became clear he needed a new foster home.

“We fell in love with him immediately and after a week of going back and forth, we decided to become his foster parents,” said Jenny. “Two years later, the adoption was finalized. Four years after that, we could not be happier with our boy and our two dogs, Patch and Lucy.” Danny and Jenny have immense gratitude for DePaul ’s support through the foster care and adoption process. “DePaul has completed our little family and we will forever be grateful for that,” said Jenny. But the support for the family didn’t end when the adoption papers were signed. Danny, Jenny, and Liam became part of DePaul’s post-adoption program, where they have been provided services like equine therapy, opportunities to engage with other adop tive families, and advice for navigating the world as parents of a son with autism. “All three of us are learning this world together and it ’s challenging and rewarding all at the same time,” said Danny. “It is so comforting to have support and services within reach when you need them.”

“He is the missing piece of our family. We feel like everything happened so we could be led to him.”

— JENNY

4 | SPRING 2025