The only thing better than learning you’ve been adopted is getting the news at the most magical place on Earth.
Siblings Janielle, 12, and Elijah, 10, were placed with their foster parents Courtney and Tom Gilmour three years ago. The Gilmours knew they wanted to adopt the children immediately but, as they told USA Today, “sometimes the system doesn’t work as fast as your heart works.”
The family had planned a trip to the Star Wars Convention in Orlando and the Magic Kingdom and shortly before they hit the road, the Gilmours learned that their adoption paperwork had been finalized. They decided to let Mickey and his friends at Disney World break the news to the kids.
“I thought, ‘How cool would it be for Mickey to hold up a sign telling the kids,'” Courtney told FOX 13. Courtney was a foster child herself and hoped that sharing the video might raise awareness about foster children and adoption.
A good portion of the clip follows Janielle and Elijah as they journey to a private autograph signing with Mickey, who entertains them with a card trick before posing for a photo with the family. Later, he’s passed another card that reads “Your Adoption Day Will Be May 24th 2017.” Just a warning: you’ll need some tissues on hand for their reaction to the news.
But nothing is as sweet as when Courtney tells Elijah, “Didn’t I tell you it was going to be magic?”
