The 20-year-old never thought she'd see her son again but life, but life had other plans.
Placing a child for adoption is one of the hardest decisions anyone can make. It requires immense bravery and selflessness, driven by love. Schauna Austin faced this difficult choice when she gave birth to her son at 20. She accepted that she wouldn't be part of his life. However, fate had a different plan. In a heartwarming twist, her son's adoptive parents included Austin in every major step of his life, accordings to CBS News.
Austin gave birth to a baby boy and named him Riley. She held him continuously for 72 hours, saying, "It was perfect. I knew I would have him for a short time, so I made every minute count of it." She added, "I didn't sleep for three days." After the adoption, his name was changed to Steven.
In closed adoptions, the identities of adoptive and biological parents are kept confidential. However, Jennifer and Chris Schoebinger broke this norm after just a week, deciding they wanted Austin to be part of their son's life. Jennifer said, "It was like, 'OK, this is the way it should be. She was part of our family." Chris added, "You know, you can't have too many people loving you, right? Why couldn't he be both of ours?"
The Schoebingers began sending Austin photos and bound books every year, detailing Steven's achievements. They did this to comfort Austin and keep her updated so that their eventual meeting would be seamless. Austin saw Steven for the first time since his adoption when he turned 7. They enjoyed their time together, with Austin teaching him how to fish, creating cherished memories. Austin said, "I was blessed beyond words." Steven added, "I kind of got the best of both worlds, for sure."
Now 28, Steven is married and a father. He chose to name his child Riley, his birth name. For Austin, life has come full circle as she is now a proud grandmother of Riley. Chris said, "I think the lesson we learned is that sometimes we create barriers where barriers don't need to be. And when we pull down those barriers, we really find love on the other side."
The whole documented story was uploaded on YouTube by CBS News and has garnered over 30,000 views so far. People have expressed their love for the adoptive family and have appreciated their special gesture towards Austin. @juliejulie1545 commented, "Speaks volumes of his adoptive parents and also the love of his natural mother to make the hardest decision on earth." @marialongoria8774 wrote, "Such good wonderful people. And Steven is one lucky kid. So much love."
Editor's note: This article was originally published on June 10, 2024. It has since been updated.
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