DALLAS — After seven years in foster care and being featured as WFAA's Wednesday's Child twice, we have an incredible update on a young man named Eden.
He was just a little boy when he was first featured as WFAA's Wednesday's Child and now, he's all grown up and finally has a forever home.
Eden was 11 years old when WFAA interviewed him at Legoland in Grapevine back in 2019. He was excited and talked about wanting to be adopted.
Four years later, WFAA featured Eden again. He had grown taller, wiser, and a little worried about aging out of the system at 18 years old.
He wiped away tears as he talked about how "messed up" it was that he hadn't been adopted yet.
"I'm not crying. I just have tears in my eyes," Eden said.
Eden was ultimately adopted in October one day after turning 17 years old.
"I was like crying, seriously for joy to be honest with you," said Eden in a Zoom interview from his new forever home.
Eden's adoptive parents saw him featured twice on WFAA -- the first time in 2019, and then again in 2023.
"I clicked on it and I noticed this kid and I knew him. That was my son! And sure enough, the clip of his first video was there and I was like, 'that's him, that's him!' Nobody adopted him, he's mine!" said his adoptive mother, Kelli Bouck.
There were many signs that Eden belonged to this family, like the fact he and his new grandma share the same birthday. Also, the Boucks' children have names that start with A, B, C, D and now E.
And Kelli says there are even more 'coincidences.'
"He moved into our house on his brother's birthday. He was placed in our house on my birthday," said Bouck.
"And my adoption was finalized a day after my birthday!" Eden added.
Eden now has a mom, dad, and four siblings, two of whom are also on the autism spectrum.
"Completes our family. We kind of always felt like there was somebody missing even though it was really hectic in the house. For some reason there was somebody that wasn't there that was supposed to be," said Jeff Bouck.
Eden says his heart is filled with gratitude for the advocates who helped him to get adopted. People like his court-appointed special advocate, Mr. Bill, all of his social workers, and the countless advocates who never gave up on him.
WFAA asked Eden if he was happy.
"Basically, yes," he said, with a big smile.
This Thanksgiving when the family gathers around the table, Eden will top the list of blessings.
"I really love them," he said about his adoptive family.
It takes a village and Eden is in his forever home because of it.
"Eden is here! Once and for all. You're our son," said Kelli as she hugged her son.