Emotional moment stepfather opens Christmas present of adoption papers for his three stepchildren

‘Love is thicker than blood’: Emotional moment stepfather opens Christmas present of adoption papers for his three stepchildren

  • Nikki Johnson Henderson, from East Milton, Florida, shared the sweet footage 
  • Stepfather Ben Lewis unwraps the brown Amazon parcel and discovers papers 
  • Ben, who has cared for them for 18 years, said it was ‘the best present ever’

This is the heartwarming moment a stepfather was gifted adoption papers for Christmas to become the legal parent of his three stepchildren after 18 years. 

Nikki Johnson Henderson, from East Milton, Florida, posted the footage of her step-father Ben Lewis opening a gift-wrapped box on Christmas Day. 

The video shows Ben unwrapping the layers of wrapping paper as the family gather around the Christmas tree in the sweet video captioned: ‘Love is thicker than blood.’ 

The clip sees Ben using scissors to open the brown Amazon box before reaching into the package to find a set of papers underneath red tissue paper.

Nikki Johnson Henderson, from East Milton, Florida, posted the footage of her stepfather Ben Lewis (pictured) opening a gift-wrapped box on Christmas Day which contained adoption papers

Nikki Johnson Henderson, from East Milton, Florida, posted the footage of her stepfather Ben Lewis (pictured) opening a gift-wrapped box on Christmas Day which contained adoption papers 

Ben puts his glasses to flicks through the document before he becomes emotional and is seen wiping a tear from his eye. 

One sister asks: ‘We wanted to ask you if you would adopt us? 

Ben replies: ‘Of course I will.’ 

‘You have been our dad for practically our entire adult lives and you have always been there for us. Anytime we needed anything you have been there for us and we want to make it legal,’ she continues. 

The video shows Ben unwrapping the layers of wrapping paper

The clip sees Ben using scissors to open the brown Amazon box

The video shows Ben unwrapping the layers of wrapping paper (left) before using scissors to open the brown Amazon box

Ben opens the brown Amazon box and takes out the layers of wrapping paper before reaching the papers

Ben opens the brown Amazon box and takes out the layers of wrapping paper before reaching the papers 

Ben is seen nodding as he clutches the adoption papers in the emotional moment. 

She adds: ‘We did talk to Jennifer first! I really wanted her to be here for this too but obviously she couldn’t.’ 

Sisters Nikki and Jessica Godfrey walk over to Ben and embrace him as their brother James Johnson sits next to his stepfather, before the family exclaim: ‘Merry Christmas!’ 

The stepfather uncovers the papers underneath red tissue paper

Ben puts his glasses to flick through the document and becomes emotional as he is seen wiping a tear from his eye

Ben uncovers the papers underneath red tissue paper before he puts on his glasses and flicks through the document before he becomes emotional and is seen wiping a tear from his eye

Referral Management Specialist at Naval Hospital Pensacola, Nikki captioned the video: ‘For 18 years, this man, Ben Lewis, has been our dad. 

‘Our mom had us, three older kids (I was already married and out of the house, but my brother and sister lived their teenage years with him), and I was pregnant with my mom’s first grandchild when they got married. 

‘He was there for my son’s birth just a few months later. He has always been there to fix whatever we couldn’t, give unsolicited dad advice, and hit us with constant dad and dirty jokes. 

‘He walked my baby sister down the aisle and cried as he waltzed her around the dance floor during the father daughter dance.

Sisters Nikki and Jessica Godfrey walk over to Ben and embrace him

Brother James Johnson sits next to his stepfather before the family exclaim: 'Merry Christmas!'

Sisters Nikki and Jessica Godfrey walk over to Ben and embrace him (left) while their brother James Johnson sits next to his stepfather as the family exclaim: ‘Merry Christmas!’

‘He has been PawPaw to all eight of our kids and he takes amazing care of our mom. 

‘He has never treated us any differently than if we were biologically his. Today, we decided to tell him how much we love him… Love is thicker than blood!! Merry Christmas, Dad!!!’ 

The video garnered 116 reactions after it was posted on December 25 and people commented on the ‘beautiful’ nature of the clip.  

Sisters Nikki and Jessica Godfrey walk over to Ben and embrace him as their brother James Johnson sits next to his stepfather before the family exclaim: 'Merry Christmas!'

Sisters Nikki and Jessica Godfrey walk over to Ben and embrace him as their brother James Johnson sits next to his stepfather before the family exclaim: ‘Merry Christmas!’

Stepfather Ben commented: ‘This caught me off guard! I have always treated them as mine, but asking to make it legal is the best present ever. I Love my kids!’ 

Meanwhile Jessica penned: ‘We all cried happy tears. Him saying yes was one of the best gifts I’ve ever received.’

A third wrote: ‘How beautiful! Now if someone would stop cutting the onions around me.’ 

source: dailymail.co.uk