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Justin's HIV Journal: Justin and husband Phil ADOPT son

2,084 views · Published 2 February 2014 · 8:50 · Indexed 24 October 2026

Channel: Dr. Justin B. Terry-Smith · 2014 · Nonprofits & Activism

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ADOPTION DAY is finally here.  On January 30th my husband Dr. Philip Terry-Smith adopted our 17 year old LGBT son.  

When I became HIV positive I thought to myself, "I will never have a child". I cried so much over this every time I thought about it.  Every time I saw a child with their parent playing, walking hand in hand, giggling, just being a family it hurt, it hurt me to my soul.  

When my husband asked me to marry him, I said yes but I have provisions.  I stated that I would like to have children.  I made a command decision in my life that I would have kids.  I also said that I need a man that would want to have children with me.  My husband (THANK THE GODS) agreed that children would be a part of our future.  
I can honestly say our son has come such a long way being with us.  When he first came to us he was 15 years old he was not what I expected a 15 year old to be.  But then I had to realize I did not raise this child; so I made it my goal to make him a little more refined and to bring more structure and discipline into his life.  He has a story and I'm not the one to tell it.  So I will briefly say that this young man has been through the ringer.  But now that he has a loving and supportive family he is stronger than before.  

Phil, my son and I went to court and we have legally made him ours.  He will forever be ours and I wouldn't want it any other way

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