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CNN Sunday Morning
Maryland Couple Adopts Young Cambodian Boy
Aired November 24, 2002 - 07:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Now a group of organizations has dubbed November National Adoption Month. Their focus, the millions of children around the world who need parents and a home. Earlier this year, we brought you the story of a Maryland couple struggling to adopt a young Cambodian boy.
And as Kathleen Koch reports, that saga now has a happy ending.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was April when Dan and Donna Sheron of Buckeyestown, Maryland first shared the story of Sunny, a 3-year-old Cambodian boy. They'd fallen in love with him in pictures and in person on visits.
But Sunny's nearly final adoption was blocked with the INS stopped Americans from adopting Cambodian children because of reports of baby selling there. Sunny finally made it home just a few weeks ago, after almost a year of waiting.
DONNA SHERON, ADOPTIVE MOTHER: It's just setting in that he's home. It's just now setting in that he's here for good. And I look at him sometimes like in the morning, or if he's sleeping. Sunny's really here. So it's almost like a dream, but it feels go.
DAN SHERON, ADOPTIVE FATHER: And the fact that we when you get back, it's like ah, he's finally in our care. And...
DONNA SHERON: Yes, that's true.
DAN SHERON: And you know, he's not going to get a mosquito bite and get malaria. He's not going to get any tropical disease.
KOCH: It hadn't been an idle worry. In his stark orphanage, Sunny had been ravaged by worms, a skin fungus, ear infections.
DONNA SHERON: In the back of my mind, I was always afraid that he would end up in the hospital or he would end up dying.
KOCH: Now Sunny's health is improving. He's quickly picking up English, adapting to his new siblings.
DONNA SHERON: Just like real brothers.
KOCH: The dentist though says the boy will need major oral surgery. DONNA SHERON: He's got to take out his two front teeth and his back teeth. And he has about six or eight other cavities. So his mouth is, pretty much his teeth are rotting away.
KOCH (on camera): The government says most American families who had been in the process of adopting Cambodians have now been united with their children, but all new adoptions are still blocked.
(voice-over): Dan and Donna would like that to change.
DAN SHERON: These kids need a home.
DONNA SHERON: We don't scrutinize people getting visas, grown- ups, as much as we're scrutinizing these orphans.
KOCH: Still the Sherons are glad at least Sunny now has a family.
DAN SHERON: He's home.
DONNA SHERON: Right.
DAN SHERON: He's, you know, safe and sound so to speak. And the ordeal and the wait's over.
KOCH: Kathleen Koch, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 24, 2002 - 07:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Now a group of organizations has dubbed November National Adoption Month. Their focus, the millions of children around the world who need parents and a home. Earlier this year, we brought you the story of a Maryland couple struggling to adopt a young Cambodian boy.
And as Kathleen Koch reports, that saga now has a happy ending.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was April when Dan and Donna Sheron of Buckeyestown, Maryland first shared the story of Sunny, a 3-year-old Cambodian boy. They'd fallen in love with him in pictures and in person on visits.
But Sunny's nearly final adoption was blocked with the INS stopped Americans from adopting Cambodian children because of reports of baby selling there. Sunny finally made it home just a few weeks ago, after almost a year of waiting.
DONNA SHERON, ADOPTIVE MOTHER: It's just setting in that he's home. It's just now setting in that he's here for good. And I look at him sometimes like in the morning, or if he's sleeping. Sunny's really here. So it's almost like a dream, but it feels go.
DAN SHERON, ADOPTIVE FATHER: And the fact that we when you get back, it's like ah, he's finally in our care. And...
DONNA SHERON: Yes, that's true.
DAN SHERON: And you know, he's not going to get a mosquito bite and get malaria. He's not going to get any tropical disease.
KOCH: It hadn't been an idle worry. In his stark orphanage, Sunny had been ravaged by worms, a skin fungus, ear infections.
DONNA SHERON: In the back of my mind, I was always afraid that he would end up in the hospital or he would end up dying.
KOCH: Now Sunny's health is improving. He's quickly picking up English, adapting to his new siblings.
DONNA SHERON: Just like real brothers.
KOCH: The dentist though says the boy will need major oral surgery. DONNA SHERON: He's got to take out his two front teeth and his back teeth. And he has about six or eight other cavities. So his mouth is, pretty much his teeth are rotting away.
KOCH (on camera): The government says most American families who had been in the process of adopting Cambodians have now been united with their children, but all new adoptions are still blocked.
(voice-over): Dan and Donna would like that to change.
DAN SHERON: These kids need a home.
DONNA SHERON: We don't scrutinize people getting visas, grown- ups, as much as we're scrutinizing these orphans.
KOCH: Still the Sherons are glad at least Sunny now has a family.
DAN SHERON: He's home.
DONNA SHERON: Right.
DAN SHERON: He's, you know, safe and sound so to speak. And the ordeal and the wait's over.
KOCH: Kathleen Koch, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
