A 7-year-old boy, neglected by his parents, loses his legs due to amputation. The only person who visits him in the hospital is his teacher
When Nathaneal, also known as “Nate,” enrolled in Jenna Riccio’s class at Walsh Elementary School in Waterbury, Connecticut, in December 2018, she first got to know him. Jenna immediately connected with Nate when she first met him. Sweet and reserved, Nate tended to keep to himself and occasionally sobbed hysterically. Being the only student in the school with sickle cell anemia, he also had a wheelchair.
Over time, Nate became more comfortable with his classmates and adapted to the school environment, but Jenna didn’t know the full extent of his struggles until she visited him in the hospital in 2019. She learned that Nate had been removed from his birth family’s home and was facing the possibility of going into foster care. This revelation broke Jenna’s heart, and she felt a deep calling to do more for Nate than just being his teacher.
Jenna made the courageous decision to become Nate’s foster mom and went through the necessary background checks and training courses to make it happen in less than two weeks. As Nate recovered in the hospital, Jenna worked behind the scenes to bring him home, and on October 3, 2019, they left the hospital together. In the meantime, Jenna’s love life also blossomed, and she got engaged to Tim Riccio, an art instructor at Walsh Elementary who had also taught Nate.
PHOTO: COURTESY JENNA RICCIO
When Jenna and Tim discussed their marriage plans, Jenna expressed her desire to adopt Nate someday, and Tim wholeheartedly supported her decision. On May 15, 2021, surrounded by family and friends, Jenna and Tim tied the knot, with Nate proudly serving as their ring bearer. Nate’s case worker, Jackie Vidal, described the occasion as filled with love and joy, with people lining up to dance with Nate.
In February 2022, Jenna and Tim welcomed a baby girl named Julien, and Nate became a loving older brother. Nate’s bond with Julien was indescribable, and Jenna cherished the special relationship between her children. It wasn’t until November 19, 2022, on National Adoption Day, that Nate officially became Jenna and Tim’s son, taking on the surname Riccio and gaining a new identity as a cherished family member.
PHOTO: COURTESY JENNA RICCIO
During Nate’s journey with the Riccios, he experienced many firsts, including celebrating Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, going on his first swimming and beach trips, and even meeting his idol, actor Grant Gustin, through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Every day with the Riccios was filled with love, care, and joy for Nate, and he considered himself incredibly fortunate to be part of their family.
PHOTO: COURTESY JENNA RICCIO
Despite the challenges Nate had faced, he found solace in his new family’s unwavering love and affection. Even Nate’s older biological brother, Giovhany Mondestin, who was present during the adoption hearing, expressed his gratitude and happiness for Nate’s newfound joy and safety with the Riccios, despite the initial difficulty of seeing his brother live with a different family.
PHOTO: COURTESY JENNA RICCIO
As Nate hugged his parents and baby sister after the adoption hearing concluded, he couldn’t contain his smiles. He was grateful for the love and support he had received from Jenna, Tim, and his extended family, and he knew that he had found him forever home. Nate’s journey was not easy, but with Riccios by his side, he had found a place where he truly belonged.
