The words “My Parents Are Alive” that he spoke for the first time a year after we adopted him broke our hearts.

In the hopes that love would help Bobby, a five-year-old mute child, recover, we adopted him. He didn’t say anything for months—until he turned six. He extinguished his candles and then uttered the terrifying five words, “My parents are alive.”

His epiphany set off a journey we never anticipated. Bobby had been informed that his parents were deceased at the foster home. However, we discovered the devastating truth after questioning the staff: his wealthy birth parents paid to conceal the fact that they had abandoned him when he was ill.

We took Bobby to meet them in spite of our reservations. They acknowledged that they “didn’t know how to help” and gave him up. “I think you didn’t even try,” Bobby said, glancing at them. “I want to stay with you,” he said, turning to face us.

Everything changed in that instant. We picked him, and he picked us.

Bobby’s voice and his smile returned after that. We were his biological family, not just his adoptive parents.