According to recent data given by the Children’s Bureau, there are roughly 424,000 children in foster care nationally. There are slightly fewer than 8,000 children in Tennessee alone who are waiting to be reconciled with their family or to find a permanent home with individuals who would love them unconditionally. The sad truth is that there are less than 4,000 foster families in this state.

Andrew, a 12-year-old from Nashville, was one of those youngsters who ended up in the system until recently. This adorable child has spent half of his life moving from one household to the next. That changed when he was accepted into the home of a particular foster family, the Gills.

Kevin and Dominique Gill had a kid on their own, Joc, who became fast friends with Andrew from the first time they met. The guys adore spending time together. They spend their time playing games, going on walks, and doing other enjoyable activities. When Kevin and Dominique saw how close the boys had become, they decided to let them be best friends for life by submitting adoption paperwork.

Andrew had no clue he was going to become a full-fledged member of the Gill clan. One day, while walking in the park with Molly Parker, a staff at Youth Villages, he was informed that his foster parents were adopting him.

“I simply turned the corner and saw everyone,” Andrew explained. “They said, ‘Will you?’ and I responded, ‘Yeah!’”

These lads, in addition to being closest friends, had now become brothers. Isn’t that the loveliest thing ever?