“Love is patient, love is kind." ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4
Cockroaches crunched under his feet as he entered a room in
2005, no bigger than a closet. There was no bed, just a soiled mattress covered
with maggots and flies. The odor from used diapers was overwhelming.
The seasoned detective felt bile rise in his throat as he fought the urge to weep. An emaciated child cowered in the corner. If ever there was an example of a feral child, Danielle was the poster child.
They transported Dani to
a hospital for urgent care. She’d spend six weeks there, taking nutrition only
from a bottle. She weighed 46 pounds and couldn’t walk or talk.
Police arrested her
birth mother. A series of unfortunate breaks had left her widowed and
destitute. She later waived her parental rights as part of a plea deal.
Doctors and therapists eventually diagnosed the girl with “severe
autism.” Having spent her entire life in solitary confinement, she’d never been
to a doctor or school, and never felt sunshine on her skin. As such, 7-year-old
Dani functioned at about the 6-month development level.
Florida officials placed her in a group home, praying that
the victim of unimaginable neglect might someday join a loving family.
Caseworkers, however, considered the child “unadoptable.”
Despite people’s warnings, Bernie and Diane Lierow decided
to add a daughter to their family of five sons. They knew raising her wouldn’t
be easy, but they adopted her in 2007, loved her like their own, and became the
miracle others prayed for.
Dani began overcoming her learning disabilities. She
learned not to steal food, use a toilet, and eat with utensils. “We love her
just as she is,” Bernie said. “Though baby steps, they’re huge to her.”
Eventually, the Lierows moved to a Tennessee farm. Dani
grew up with horses, alpacas, and puppies. But after about three years, Diane left.
She could no longer cope - Dani had advanced as far as she could; never able to
write, drive, or dress herself.
Bernie cared for her alone. He’d developed a special bond
with Dani from their first visit.
Puberty brought regressive behaviors. He had to put her
back in diapers and padlock the fridge. When Dani became eligible for Medicaid
in 2016, a small group home offered an open bed for her. Bernie agonized. Then
he moved her in after Christmas.
“Daddy can’t take care of you anymore,” he told her through
tears. “You’ll live here now, but I’ll come visit.” Bernie tries to see Dani
every month. He’s been her only visitor. “That’s how life is, kids grow up and
you have to let them go.
He has no regrets. “God blessed her to me,” Bernie said. “I
took care of her as long as I could. He found this place for her. I‘m glad we
could give her a home and a family to grow up in.”
