Luca Trapanese made a heartwarming decision about four years ago that changed his life forever, giving him a sense of fulfillment. He has since led an amazing life in the company of his daughter with special needs.
An Italian man in his forties gave a little girl the chance of having a family by adopting her in 2017 at only 13 days old. The act made him the first single gay dad in Italy to be legally granted the adoption of a child.
Prior to taking in the girl, Alba, she was reportedly rejected by 20 families, who failed to adopt her owing to her disability. But Trapanese, who grew up working with people with special needs, was not one to be daunted by the tot’s Down’s syndrome.
Since welcoming her into his life, the father of one has admittedly found a new purpose and a life filled with happiness and a sense of fulfillment.
The Naples man has been open about his first encounter with the little girl, whom he met days after her mom abandoned her at a hospital because she had Down’s Syndrome.
The system declared her eligible for adoption immediately, but like her mom, no one wanted the little girl. Months prior, Trapanese, who always wanted to become a father, applied for adoption following a review of the law preventing single parents from adopting in Italy.
During his application, the gay man was told people like him could only be eligible to adopt a child with a disability or behavioral issues.
He did not mind the clause, going on to state in his application that he was happy to take in any child irrespective of their health condition. His joy knew no bounds when he was finally paired with Alba. He explained:
“It was the first time I held a newborn baby. Before that moment, I had always been scared. But when I first held Alba, I knew I was ready to be her dad.”
A netizen's comment on the viral Youtube | Photo:Youtube/GMA
Following rounds of correction and criticism from his two moms and family friends, he finally got the hang of being a parent. The dad was also glad to have Alba’s grandmothers make his fatherhood journey seamless.
Trapanese’s act of kindness has since made him into a social media sensation, as thousands of followers flock to his Instagram page to catch glimpses of him bonding with his little girl.
Speaking on his motivation to reach out to those in need and connect with people with special needs, the dad recounted losing his best friend to cancer at fourteen.
A netizen's comment on the viral Youtube | Photo:Youtube/GMA
Following the loss, he began volunteering with organizations to help the disabled. In 2007, he founded his own organization, A Ruota Onlus, which aimed to offer disabled people of school age an opportunity to socialize and cultivate their talent.
That way, they would be better equipped to be integrated into the community. He hoped more people would learn to accept kids with disabilities, treat them without contempt, and avail them of equal opportunities.
While adopting a child with a disability is one way of bridging that gap, several factors need to be considered by prospective parents to determine how prepared they are to take on the lifelong challenge.
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