Jerry Windle, a single gay man who desperately wanted to become a father for years, was struggling to adopt a child in the US.
One day, the man came across a story in a magazine, describing the life of orphans in Cambodia. At once, he came in touch with the Cambodian officials to further inquire about adoption schemes.
After receiving a positive response, Jerry travelled to Phnom Penh, Cambodia in 2000 to meet his future son, Jordan.
Jordan was staying at the local orphanage following the death of both his parents, soon after his birth. At the time, he was suffering from malnutrition, scabies and a series of severe infections.
Jerry immediately took him to his home in Florida and nursed him.
A post shared by Jordan Windle (@jordanpiseywindle)
Jordan was two years old at the time and had to communicate with Jerry through sign language before learning English. He was so weak that he barely weighed 16 pounds and Jerry was unsure whether he would survive.
However, with Jerry's unconditional love and care, Jordan grew up healthy and strong enough to become an Olympic diver.
A post shared by Jordan Windle (@jordanpiseywindle)
At age 7, Jordan enrolled at a special diving programme where he met gold medalist and LGBT activist, Greg Louganis.
After participating in 3 Olympic trials, Jordan managed to qualify for the men's platform event and, as of today, he has competed for the United States in the Olympic Games.
A post shared by Jordan Windle (@jordanpiseywindle)
However, he has not forgotten his Cambodian roots and in his heart, he is also representing his birth country. He has even tattooed the Cambodian flag on his arm.
Jordan and Jerry celebrated their heartwarming story in a children's book that they co-authored. The book came out in 2011 with the title: An Orphan No More: The True Story of a Boy and tells the story of a rooster who was told that he couldn't be a father without a hen. The book teaches children and adults alike that "where there is love, there is family."
[h/t: Bright Side]
COMMENTS