Mom of Three Adopts and Raises Best Friend’s Six Kids After She Dies

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A kindhearted woman gave the ultimate gift to her dying friend. This brave mother of three promised to raise her friend’s six young children.

Beth Laitkep was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 when she was carrying her youngest child, Ace. By April 2015, she knew her time was drawing near as the cancer had spread to her brain, spinal cord, and nervous system. Sadly, as her condition deteriorated, the father of her younger children abandoned the family, reported The Washington Post.

Realizing there might not be a miracle for her, the single mom started to worry about her children.

That’s when Laitkep made a final request to her best friend, Stephanie Culley, to take care of her six children after she is no more. On May 19, 2016, Laitkep succumbed to breast cancer at the age of 39.

“She said, ‘I know you will do this for me, but can you raise nine kids? Can you take my babies, all of them and keep them together?’” Culley told ABC News. “I said, ‘I don’t know. I have to pray about this, I have to talk to my husband about this. We discussed it as a family and my kids were the first to say yes.”

“My husband was like a deer in headlights, but he knew that this was what we had to do,” she said.

Culley’s husband, who is a construction worker, had built their home with more bedrooms in 2006. Fortunately, there were enough rooms to house Laitkep’s children. In April 2016, the Culleys opened their home to welcome Ace, Lily, Dallas, Jaxson, Selena, and Will.

During Laitkep’s final days, she reminded Culley to always put bows in her daughters’ hair. Laitkep’s last words to her were, “Tell my babies I love them. And you know I love you too, Stephanie," Culley told PEOPLE.

“Her kids were her life and she loved them more than anything. She was a humble and very sweet girl,” Culley said.

Following Laitkep’s demise, Culley kept all her promises. She cared for her six children and never forgot to put a bow in the girls’ hair. Finally, on July 19, 2016, the judge granted the Culleys the full permanent custody of Laitkep’s six children.

The family of 11 then appeared on the Rachael Ray show in September 2016, where they got the surprise of their lives—they were awarded a US$90,000 college fund and new furniture for the family, reported Inside Edition in 2016.

“There was some higher power working here, everything just sort of fell into place—like us having a big enough house for nine kids,” said Culley.

“Our kids already consider themselves true brothers and sisters,” said Culley. “If they’re sad, they cry to us and we cry with them. They let their feelings out and we are all here to support them.”

Indeed the family shares a special bond with each other.

In May 2019, Will, the oldest child, graduated from high school. Meanwhile, Selena got nominated for the Congress of future medical leaders award of excellence in December 2019. A proud Culley took to Facebook, writing, “Got this out of the mailbox today. Proud would be a gross understatement. Selena Thompson is going places in life. Now the rest of the world gets to see what I have always known. She is one special young lady.”

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