Family hopes to adopt Ukrainian boy amid Russian invasion
The Gumerson family was in the process of adoption when Russia invaded and everything came to a screeching halt.
The Gumerson family was in the process of adoption when Russia invaded and everything came to a screeching halt.
The Gumerson family was in the process of adoption when Russia invaded and everything came to a screeching halt.
An Oklahoma family is hoping to adopt a Ukrainian boy amid the Russian invasion.
"I saw this little boy that said he had no known family and no visitors at the orphanage and he was precious," Cheryl Gumerson said.
The Gumerson family was in the process of adoption when Russia invaded and everything came to a screeching halt.
“The minute he walked off the plane, he walked straight into my arms and hugged me and didn't let go,” Gumerson said.
Gumerson and her family took part in a hosting program over Christmas break and welcomed 12-year-old Artor into their home.
“Our whole family, we all fell in love with him,” Gumerson said.
It seems that Artor fell in love with them, too and the state of Oklahoma. The Gumersons turned him into a proper Thunder fan and even took him to the Fiesta Bowl, where he learned the very important gesture of "Pistols firing."
Gumerson said that Artor didn’t speak any English, so they used Google Translate.
“But there were times it didn't matter. Love speaks no language,” Gumerson said.
Sister station KOCO asked Gumerson when the family realized that maybe it was more than just a hosting trip.
“The day he left my youngest son and I took him to the airport. And we're walking from where we dropped him at security, walking to the car and my youngest looks up at me and says, ‘When can we adopt him?’ We were just bawling when he walked away from us,” Gumerson said.
Artor went back to the orphanage in Ukraine and the Gumersons started the adoption process.
Then, Russia invaded Ukraine.
KOCO asked Gumerson what it has been like watching everything unfold, knowing a piece of their hearts is over there.
“It's been hard, it's been really hard. And I did finally get to speak to him this morning. They're just in bunkers and they're trying to get them out,” Gumerson said.
She said that the immediate goal is to get the children out of war-torn Ukraine and into Poland.
“Kids shouldn't have to see that and they're hearing explosions all around them. It breaks my heart the fear he must be experiencing,” Gumerson said.
As the family fights to bring Artor home, Gumerson clings to one memory that occurred after their family gave Artor an Amazon gift card for Christmas.
“He searched and searched. I mean for about a week, to try to pick out just the perfect thing. He picked out this baby Yoda, and I mean, he stood by the door all day the day it was supposed to come and about three days later was my birthday. I opened the gift bag from him and it had his baby Yoda in it that he wanted me to have. So he had done all of that shopping and work, this child who has nothing, picked out a gift for me for my birthday. His heart is just huge,” Gumerson said.
The Gumersons are working with the hosting agency and Oklahoma lawmakers to try to get Artor to safety.