‘Those Are Happy Tears’: 6th Grader Gets 1st Birthday Cake of His Life After Being Adopted

‘Those Are Happy Tears’: 6th Grader Gets 1st Birthday Cake of His Life After Being Adopted
Courtesy of Jamie Walker
Updated:

A sixth grader, adopted alongside his brother from an orphanage in Sierra Leone, has had a series of “firsts” since starting his new life in the United States. But seeing his first-ever birthday cake was almost more than he could handle.

Abraham broke into a flood of grateful tears as his adoptive mom, Jamie Walker, brought his cake into the room and the family sang “Happy Birthday!” Footage of the moving moment has since gone viral on social media.

(Courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jamienwalker1222">Jamie Walker</a>)
Courtesy of Jamie Walker
“This was the moment I knew he’d been waiting for,” Jamie wrote on Facebook. “His very first birthday cake. One for just him. One with his name on it. ... What a gift this moment was. Incredibly simple yet wholly significant.”

An emotional Abraham leaped from his chair and passed his brother into his adoptive father, Joe Walker’s, arms, then Jamie’s. His family implored, “Make a wish, make a wish!” but Abraham had never done this before.

“As it unfolded, it dawned on me that Abraham would have no idea what ’make a wish' meant, so we let him have a redo,” Jamie said.

(Courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jamienwalker1222">Jamie Walker</a>)
Courtesy of Jamie Walker
(Courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jamienwalker1222">Jamie Walker</a>)
Courtesy of Jamie Walker

Upon rewatching the footage, Jamie’s daughter, Riley, asked whether Abraham’s tears were happy tears. The mom told her yes.

“Those tears are what joy looks like,” Jamie said.

Jamie and Joe, who have four biological children, finalized their adoption of Abraham and his ninth-grade brother, James, in November 2021.

Joe had bonded with James during a visit to his friend’s orphanage, The Raining Season Orphanage in Sierra Leone, for its 10-year anniversary.

According to a report by WCNC, during his visit to the orphanage, Joe read a lot of books and played soccer with the local kids. This is where he had his first interaction with James.

After Joe returned to the United States, he stayed in touch with James via a cellphone he had gifted him so they could Skype every month. The family had even begun sponsoring James.

Six months later, the Walkers learned that James had been forced out of his orphanage. When James went back to his village, Joe was introduced to James’s little brother, Abraham. The concerned family would stay in touch with the siblings by FaceTiming them every day.

After meeting Abraham and having both brothers sent back to the safe environs of the orphanage, Joe approached his own family about adoption. It was a unanimous “yes” from Jamie and their kids.

(Courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jamienwalker1222">Jamie Walker</a>)
Courtesy of Jamie Walker

They then asked the brothers, who were really excited at the prospect of being with a family. The Walkers then began to get the paperwork ready.

Despite some challenges because of travel restrictions owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the brothers made it to the United States in November 2021. Since arriving in Charlotte, North Carolina, the siblings have had the opportunity to experience a lot of firsts, such as their first real haircuts, their first car wash, and their first day of school.

"Two very 'nerv-cited' guys headed to their first days! Ninth and sixth grade here they come!" Jamie Walker wrote. (Courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jamienwalker1222">Jamie Walker</a>)
"Two very 'nerv-cited' guys headed to their first days! Ninth and sixth grade here they come!" Jamie Walker wrote. Courtesy of Jamie Walker
Jamie told Queen City News that her adopted sons’ paperwork from Sierra Leone is unreliable, so their birth certificates state that they’re older than Jamie and Joe suspect them to be. While Abraham celebrated his birthday on May 19, nobody knows exactly how old he is.

The boys never even knew what a birthday was before they were adopted.

“It just feels like God is showing all the blessings in you,” Abraham told Queen City News. “Everybody in the whole world is giving you their best love that they have ever given. That is what it feels like to have that cake.”

For his cake—and so much more—the birthday boy is forever grateful to his new family.

“They’re the ones that showed me to the world and showed me what happiness is and showed me what love is and showed me what it means to have a family around you,” Abraham said.

(Courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jamienwalker1222">Jamie Walker</a>)
Courtesy of Jamie Walker

Watch the tear-jerking video:

(Courtesy of Jamie Walker)
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