William: A 14 Year Old Adopted from Krasnoyarsk

Dear President Putin,

    Hi, my name is William McLaughlin. I am in eighth grade in the Kirkwood School District. I was adopted from the orphanage in Minusink, Krasnoyarsk in 1999. I was already in the orphanage over sixteen months. My adopters were living in the United States for all of their lives and they are the best parents. They provide me with a wonderful education, great food to eat, a nice house to live in, and brothers and sisters to play with. Three of my brothers and sisters were adopted from Russia also. The day I was adopted, was the best day of my life. It felt like it was a new beginning.
    So, I heard you passed a law that “only” Americans can’t adopt Russians anymore. I think that kids up for adoption should have the chance to have a new life by getting new parents who are willing to take care of them and make that child’s life change forever. In that orphanage, I thought that I would never have a great family to take care of me and give me opportunities. I want all Russians to have the chance of getting this wonderful chance like I had. I know that there could be thousands of Russians in orphanages that are waiting every day to be adopted, but since you passed this law, they will have no chances of having a good life with parents who love them. Please, change this law and you could make thousands of orphans have families. It’s your decision. Make thousands of orphans have loving families, or leave helpless kids in orphanages never have a loving family for the rest of their lives. You decide.




                                        Sincerely,
                                        William McLaughlin