Barry Farmer decided that he wanted to be a foster parent eight years ago, and now, he is a loving father to three white brothers that he has officially adopted.
“I didn’t expect one kid, let alone three,” said Farmer, who lives in Richmond, Virginia. “When someone calls you dad, you’re like, ‘who me?’ I just like taking care of children.”
When Farmer walks down the street with his kids, 14-year-old Darrell, 12-year-old Xavier and 6-year-old Jeremiah, they get a few stares, but he believes family is more important than skin color.
“In this day in time when it comes to family, and seeing color or seeing unity and belonging, and that’s what I was hoping to accomplish with my family anyway,” Farmer said. “When I have them now I can’t imagine them anywhere else, and it’s a typical family. We may not look alike, but it’s a typical family. I just want them to be someone that I can be proud of and they can be proud of and that’s all it takes.”
According to Darrell, his dad asked him an important question seven years ago that has changed his life for the better: “Dad was like, ‘can I be your dad forever?’ And I was like, ‘you already are.’ And that is how I came to stay here. I was in this dark spot at first and then he just comes in the picture. And everything’s all right.”
