A teen mom is learning how to parent her triplets from the nurse who chose to adopt her after treating her during the pregnancy! Shariya Small was just a child herself when, at 14, she gave birth to three kids. While receiving care at Community Hospital North in Indianapolis, the young girl felt alone and scared. She told People that she “couldn’t relate to all the other moms on the floor.”
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Thankfully, that’s when she met nurse Katrina Mullen, who was more than willing to take Shariya under her wing. You see, this woman had a lot in common with the new mother. Not only was she a single mom herself, but she’d also given birth for the first time at age 16. Since she’d been through it all before, she became an incredible source of emotional support for Shariya.
“I wanted her to know that I was a teen mom, and that I knew how scary it was,” Katrina recalled.
When the 14-year-old left the hospital with her triplets, two daughters named Sarayah and Serenitee and a son named Samari, she remained in contact with Katrina. In fact, the teenager reached out to the nurse almost every day!
“I was really overwhelmed,” said Shariya. “I would just call Katrina and she would talk me down and tell me what to do.”
Unfortunately, things didn’t go so well for the young girl at first. Her living situation was precarious, and her son became ill. Child Protective Services were ready to take the three children away, but they contacted Katrina before doing so. Shariya was hoping that she and her little ones could move in with the nurse.
Of course, this wasn’t going to be easy for Katrina. She already had kids of her own to take care of. However, she worried about what would happen if the young girl, now 15, and her children ended up in foster care. So, she took them all in.
“She was willing to help me when nobody else was,” Shariya remembered.
Two years later, they were able to make this arrangement official. The nurse finally got to adopt the teen mom, becoming a grandmother to the adorable triplets. So far, things have worked out pretty well for the family. Shariya has become more capable and confident as a mother, and Katrina loves her grandkids!
“The most fun for me is being a grandma,” she said. “That’s my favorite part. They are such a joy to me.”
We’re wishing all the best to this sweet nurse, her adopted daughter, and the triplets as they all continue to navigate everything that life has in store for them.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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