LINCOLN — Nineteen years ago, Gov. Jim Pillen wanted nothing to do with adding another child to the family.
He and his wife, Suzanne, already had three children on the threshhold of adulthood. And back then, he didn’t fully understand how someone could love an adopted child as their own.
That changed soon after his wife brought home a 4-week-old baby boy, he told a gathering of foster and adoptive families and child advocates Monday.
Pillen
Pillen said the child had been born to a troubled 15-year-old his wife was mentoring through a teen mothers program. But the boy couldn’t stay with his mother, and Suzanne Pillen didn’t want him to end up in the child welfare system.
The Pillens started taking care of the boy on a temporary basis only. But the then-livestock operator and businessman had a change of heart one day, when his wife left him in charge of the tiny infant and the boy, Izic, locked eyes with him.
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“It was an extraordinary, extraordinary day that the gift of grace took place,” Pillen said, choking up. “Being able to have a son that’s now 19 (was) the greatest gift of grace.”
The governor told his story at an event celebrating foster and adoptive parents and marking November as adoption month.
The Pillens raised Izic as their own since he was an infant. They made the adoption official in August, after Izic reached the age of majority and was able to agree to the relationship on his own.
The governor urged other Nebraska families to consider becoming adoptive or foster parents, as well. He said 331 children have been adopted out of the state’s child welfare system through the first 10 months of this year. But some 200 others are still waiting for an adoptive family.
“I encourage every Nebraskan to answer your heart, answer the promptings of the Holy Spirit,” Pillen said.
He was joined by other adoptive families, including Craig and Miranda Coleman, the adoptive parents of Husker wide receiver Malachi Coleman, and Shannon Bingham, Mrs. Midwest International 2024, and her adopted son, Seth Stickman.
Laura Opfer, an adoptive parent to three daughters, is deputy director of children and family services within the Department of Health and Human Services. She said that, along with getting children adopted, the state child welfare system has successfully reunited 855 children with their parents so far this year and found permanency for 142 through guardianship.
Opfer celebrated the important role that foster parents, including relatives and kinship caregivers, have on children in need. Kinship caregivers are people known to a child, such as a family friend or teacher.
“We have 1,027 relative and kinship caregivers in Nebraska, who support their grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, students and neighbors when they need support the most,” she said. “In addition, we have 2,321 foster families who exemplify what it means to have perseverance, resilience and hope.”
More foster families are needed, especially those willing to take sibling groups, children with complex medical needs and teenagers.
The Colemans said they fostered Malachi Coleman and his younger sister, Neaveh, before adopting the two. Now they lead the Fly Like Chi Foundation that their son started to help pay for sports, arts and other extracurricular activities for foster children.
Miranda Coleman urged others to consider fostering or adopting, saying that it had changed their lives.
“Our kids have made us better humans, more compassionate neighbors, more confident advocates, and taught us how to live looking forward,” she said. “They have opened our world view, and we are forever grateful we are a family.”
Bingham, who has focused past pageant platforms on adoption, adopted her son as an infant through the Nebraska Children’s Home Society. Now 16, he said his birth mother knew he would have more opportunities through adoption.
“I have been shown boundless love by my adoptive parents,” he said. “I have many people I can count on who are willing to provide for me and care for me when needed. Without adoption, I wouldn’t have these people around me in such great numbers.”
Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of November 2023
Brothers Finn, 10, and Jaxson Mlynarik, 14, of Winterset, Iowa, stand together with a lit up snowflake during the Holiday Lights Festival lighting ceremony at The RiverFront Park in Omaha on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023.
Sandhills/Thedford’s Zeb Wilde (32) and Carson Cooksley (14) celebrate with fans Kaden Haake and Connor Cooksley following the Wynot vs. Sandhills/Thedford Nebraska Class D2 State Football Championship at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023. Sandhills/Thedford won the title 50-12.
Creighton’s Trey Alexander (23) controls the ball in the Texas Southern vs. Creighton men’s college basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023.
Justin Holzepfel puts Christmas lights on his roof as his daughter, Madalyn, 5, watches on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023.
Nebraska’s Nick Henrich (3) pressures Wisconsin’s Tanner Mordecai (8) during the second half of a college football game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023.
Nebraska’s Thomas Fidone II (24) huddles Wisconsin’s Jason Maitre (23) during the second half of a college football game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023.
Nebraska’s Chubba Purdy (12) throws under pressure from Wisconsin’s Jake Chaney (36) during the first half of a college football game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023.
Nebraska’s Chubba Purdy (12) scores on a 55-yard run on the first drive during the first half of a college football game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023.
Nebraska’s Harper Murray (27) goes up for the ball during the first set of a college volleyball match against Michigan at the Devaney Center in Lincoln on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
Jaye’real Coppage 12, dibbles a basketball in the gym at the Salvation Army Omaha North Worship & Service Center located at 2424 Pratt St, on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023. Paint from the mural on the wall is peeling.
Atlas Swan, 3, helps his mother, Eryn Swan’s plants on the porch of their Bemis Park home on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023.
Kids play basketball in the gym at the Salvation Army’s North Corps Community Center, 2424 Pratt St., on Nov. 9.
North Dakota State’s Ryan Sletten (24) tries to stop a Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) dunk at CHI Health Center on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.
Police escort a truck carrying the Durham Museum Christmas heads north on I480 toward Woolworth Avenue on Monday, Nov. 13, 2023.
A Union Pacific climbs out of a tree after securing it to a crane on Monday, Nov. 13, 2023.
Creighton’s Steven Ashworth (1) celebrates a three-point basket against North Dakota State at CHI Health Center on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.
North Dakota State’s Ryan Sletten (24) tries to stop a Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) dunk at CHI Health Center on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.
Nebraska’s Ty Robinson (9) walks off the filed following the college football game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. Maryland won the game 13-10.
Nebraska’s Blaise Gunnerson (97) stretches out to try an block a pass from Maryland’s Taulia Tagovailoa (3) to Maryland’s Roman Hemby (24) during the first half of a college football game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.
Nebraska’s Harper Murray (27) watches as Nebraska’s Merritt Beason (13) misses the ball in the Northwestern vs. Nebraska college volleyball match at the Devaney Center in Lincoln on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023.
Brooke Holloway, Matthew McMullen Bill Holloway and Cindy Holloway cross the Red Cedar river on their way to Spartan Stadium prior to a college football game between the Nebraska Huskers and the Michigan State Spartans in East Lansing, Mich. on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.
Nebraska and Michigan State fans react differently on a penalty call against Michigan State during the first half of a college football game at Spartan in East Lansing, Mich. on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.
Nebraska’s Omar Brown (12) sits in a hall before playing Michigan State in a college football game at Spartan in East Lansing, Mich. on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.
Nebraska’s Heinrich Haarberg (10), Nebraska’s Jeff Sims (7) and Nebraska’s Chubba Purdy (12) have a moment in a hall before playing Michigan State in a college football game at Spartan in East Lansing, Mich. on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.
A member of the Michigan State marching band drums upside down during the second half of a college football game at Spartan in East Lansing, Mich. on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.
Omaha Skutt raises their trophy following the Norris vs. Omaha Skutt Nebraska State Volleyball Class B Championship match at the Devaney Center in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. Omaha Skutt won the title in three sets.
Sumner-Eddyville-Miller’s Katelynn Reiter (6) serves the ball in the O’Neill St. Mary’s vs. Sumner-Eddyville-Miller NSAA Class D-1 volleyball state quarterfinal match at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023.
Shania Twain performs at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023.
Millard West’s Brody Peterson (7) runs the ball against Grand Island’s Trey Engberg (1) and Grand Island’s Justyce Hostetler (35) during the first quarter of a high school football game at Buell Stadium in Omaha on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023.
Minden’s Aubree Bules (11) serves the ball during the fourth set of the Nebraska state volleyball C-1 Championship against Kearney Catholic at the Devaney Center in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.
Overton’s JoLee Ryan (7) and Overton’s Ashlyn Florell (10) celebrate after sweeping Cambridge to win the Nebraska state volleyball D-2 Championship at Devaney Center in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.
The sun sets behind Pinnacle Bank Arena before the Huskers’ men’s basketball team tips-off against Lindenwood in Lincoln on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023.
Nebraska’s C.J. Wilcher (0) passes the ball against Florida A&M’s Jordan Chatman (2) during the first half of a college men’s basketball game at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023.
A look inside Memorial Stadium during the national anthem before the first quarter of a college football game in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.
Nebraska’s Janiran Bonner (16) runs the ball past Maryland’s Beau Brade (2) to score a touchdown during the third quarter of a college football game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.
Nebraska’s Malcolm Hartzog (13) pushes Maryland’s Antwain Littleton II (7) out of bounds during the third quarter of a college football game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.
Creighton’s Trey Alexander (23) goes up to dunk the ball against Iowa’s Tony Perkins (11) during the second half of a men’s college basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023.
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