Bruce and Ashley Benton of Copley knew they wanted to help kids who needed good homes, even before they got married.
“We actually did not set out on this journey to adopt,” Ashley Benton says.”We both work in pediatrics (and) we started talking about becoming foster parents. We felt we would be a good fit as we understood how the system worked and saw the reality these kids and families face everyday.”
In 2021, as foster parents, they took in Gage as an infant, who they ended up adopting last November on National Adoption Day at the Summit County Probate Court.
“Unfortunately, his family was unable to care for him and we knew he would be a great fit for our family,” Bruce Benton says. “It is impossible to not fall in love with a child you live with for more than 18 months.”
Ashley Benton adds, we became foster parents to help families reunite and create a safe resource for those that didn’t have that available to them. Unfortunately, reunification is not always a possible outcome. When Gage entered our home shortly after he was born, we fell in love with him and knew if adoption was going to be part of his story, we would say yes to that opportunity to support him in that way. He is a perfect fit for our family.
Gage, who is two and a half, is 100% toddler at the moment, according to his parents. 
“He has a big belly laugh, you can’t help but smile when you hear it,” the couple says. “Gage is the sweetest, happiest, most loving child.”
While most people say the challenging part of adoption is the waiting, for Ashley Benton, it was the emotional roller coaster of the process.
“The sadness of a family being broken that day, mixed with the joy of loving this child that we are privileged to have joined our family,” she says. “Adoption is very complex and learning to hold space for both sides of it has been a learning curve. We cannot stress enough how much we love Gage and because of that, we know that he may face unique challenges in life that we cannot change for him. We can only support him through those challenges he may face.”
The family has support, too, which helps them to wade through the foster and adoption waters. The couple feels adoptive families need to surround themselves with people who understand the system and process.
“It can feel overwhelming to navigate it and having someone personally walk you through it is so helpful,” Ashley Benton says. “I appreciate our adoption support groups. We have people who love and understand us who also know exactly what we are going through. Gage will have connections to other kids who are experiencing adoption alongside him as well. Therapists are another great tool we plan to utilize as he gets older to help him work through the emotions of adoption.”
The couple advises people who are looking at fostering or adoption to do their own personal growth work before starting the process.
“I have found that adoption tends to be romanticized in most people’s minds,” Ashley Benton says. “Adoption is traumatic for the children (even newborns) and there needs to be more education and understanding around that. Adoptees are amazing and there is a strong group of them sharing their stories through social media, podcasts, and books. I encourage people to listen and learn from them so they can become the best, most supportive adoptive parents possible.”
“The best part of adoption is the love Gage brought into our home,” the couple adds. “The joy he brings into our family is indescribable. Every child deserves a safe, loving, stable home. It is so valuable for families to build new, meaningful relationships with those they may not have otherwise met and build new connections within our communities.”