Most kids dream about what they want to do when they’re older. For Liz Smith from Massachusetts, she saw herself as becoming a pediatric nurse and a mother.
Smith achieved her goal of working in the nursing field, and eventually took a position at Franciscan Children’s hospital in Brighton. Although she was successful in her career – her personal life wasn’t turning out quite as she’d hoped.
Liz Smith’s dream of motherhood began to fizzle.
As a single woman, Smith decided to pursue getting pregnant on her own through in vitro fertilization. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out either. Smith sadly realized she was going to have to accept the idea that children wouldn’t be in her future.
One day, Smith laid eyes on a tiny baby girl inside of the hospital. It’s a day she’ll never forget.
Another nurse was pushing the baby down the hallway in a stroller. Smith was immediately drawn to the blue-eyed infant, who she’d never seen before. She told Inside Edition:
“I said, ‘Who is that beautiful little angel?’ And she said, ‘This is Gisele.'”
The precious baby hadn’t had any visitors the entire five months she’d been in the hospital.
According to TODAY, Gisele’s mom used narcotics during her pregnancy, giving birth to her daughter at 29 weeks. Gisele was less than two pounds when she entered the world – and suffered from neonatal abstinence syndrome due to being exposed to the narcotics. The infant also developed an oral aversion which affected her development as well.
Yet, her family didn’t stick by her side. Gisele became a ward of the state when she was three-months-old.
Smith, who’s the Director of Nursing at the hospital, hadn’t planned on fostering or adopting. But all that changed after meeting Gisele.
She told InsideEdition.com:
“I knew it was meant to be, and that she needed me as much as I needed her … After that day, a day didn’t pass by that I didn’t see her.”
Smith brought sweet Gisele home knowing that the plan was for her to reunite with her birth parents.
That never happened though. Eventually, the birth mom and dad’s parental rights were terminated – and after they didn’t appeal, Smith discovered she’d be able to adopt Gisele. Her dream of motherhood was coming true.
Smith told TODAY:
“The day I got the phone call with the adoption date was the day that I was jumping up and down. They said ‘October 18th’ and it’s my grandmother’s birthday and I just started crying.”
Liz Smith and her daughter Gisele now have a beautiful, happy life together.
Not only are the pair inseparable, but they are surrounded by a huge family, with 13 cousins for Gisele to be around! Although Gisele has still dealt with her oral aversion, her health and appetite have improved. She loves to sing, play, and even likes pizza.
Smith is enjoying all of the moments with her adorable daughter. In an interview with Franciscan Children’s, she said:
“The things that made her giggle and laugh randomly, the times that she’ll notice that I’m sad and come up to me and give me a hug just out of the blue, or seeing her running to me from daycare. Those are the moments I love.”
Gisele has brought so much love and happiness to Smith’s life, and vice versa. Press play below to see more on this heartwarming story!
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