ORLANDO, Fla. – It was an emotional day for Sierra McClintock of Osceola County as she officially became mom to a 10-year-old boy.
McClintock waited for almost two years. In front of family, friends and teachers all wearing their favorite jerseys, Dylan lit up with joy after the judge signed off on her approval.
“I was super proud that he wanted to have us there for such a big day in his life,” Mikey Keene, quarterback for UCF Knights football team said.
Days before the adoption hearing in Orange County, Dylan sent the UCF football team a message asking them to attend the hearing.
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Among the players present were Mikey Keene, quarterback of the UCF Knights football team and wide receiver, Ryan O’Keefe.
“I got a connection to this just cause for myself I was adopted at a week old, so this really hit home for me just watching the process really firsthand was just like a real moment for me and I’m really excited for Dylan,” O’Keefe said.
McClintock is an Osceola County public school teacher and native of St. Cloud. The new mom said it was a roller coaster of emotions between appointments, visitations and lots of paperwork during the process to become Dylan’s parent.
“His case has been one of going in every direction and every first that could happen,” she said.
In 2018, McClintock met Dylan when she became his foster mom.
“I started fostering with zero intent to adopt,” she said.
But life had a different plan. She said they soon clicked and in 2020 she started the process to be his mom.
“We like to go to the beach, we like to go to Disney, Epcot, Aquatica,” she said. “We just have a good bond. We have a good time together, really enjoy doing a lot of the rides.”
McClintock said there was a special connection with Dylan.
“It was one of those — just we know he wasn’t supposed to leave,” she said.