Couple Adopts 25 Boys With Special Needs

Feb. 25 -- At 6:30 a.m., as Ann and Jim Silcock get their boys ready to go off to school, it truly takes a village for it to happen.

For the Silcocks, family means 25 boys, all adopted, all with special needs. Ranging in age from 3 to 25, each of their sons has his own charm, and his own challenges, including physical and developmental disabilities.

Jim Silcock is more than a father to his boys. He is also a vibrant example of meeting life's obstacles. Jim himself is quadriplegic, and so is one of his sons, 18-year-old Anthony.

"Sometimes I'll think I won't be able to do that and my dad will say 'Flip it around and say yes you can do that,' and I'll make it happen," Anthony said. "It's a big relief."

For Ann Silcock, the foundation for the family began surprisingly, with a trip to the movies.

Inspired by Dickens

"When I was younger, I saw the movie Oliver, in the '60s, and I was just really drawn to that movie," Ann Silcock said. "And I walked out of the theater telling my mom, 'Yeah, you know, I want to adopt orphan boys.' Everybody sort of laughed at me, but I really kept that thought in my head."

Over the last 20 years, she has made her goal happen. When Jim met Ann, she was already caring for eight boys by herself. They married, and he took her dream as his own.

Now, they actively seek those too often deemed "unwanted" for adoption. They look for boys with special needs, older boys from a range of ethnicities, who are often the forgotten faces.

"We really want to be matched with kids that don't have other opportunities," Ann Silcock said.

The parents learn about the children's past, and then begin preparing to build their futures together.