Family adopts 3 brothers, hopes others adopt

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - Arizona's Foster Care System remains in crisis. Thousands of kids with no families to love them or to raise them. One valley family is hoping you follow their example and try to make a difference.

The Mulvihill's of Anthem have done something children stuck in Arizona's foster care system need more to do.

"They love me more than my birth mom did, they took care of me, they helped me grow," said Duncan Mulvihill.

Several years ago Teresa and Jim and their two daughters opened their arms, hearts, and home to three brothers in the system. Wolfgang, Duncan, and Allen were 9, 10, and 11-years-old. Now they are 17, 18, and 19, and forever grateful for their forever family.

"They showed me that they wouldn't give up on me, and I wasn't going to give up on them, so I wanted them as my mom and dad," said Duncan.

"Because of them I want to be a foster parent because I know the struggle, I know how hard it is, I know how great it is to know there is somebody there for you," said Allen Mulvihill.

Thousands of Arizona kids may never know what it feels like to have that kind of family love. Mom Teresa says she was in the system and was lucky to be adopted with her two sisters to the same family.

"When you get into the system they don't have homes that take siblings a lot, so it's hard to find that," said Teresa Mulvihill.

More than 17,000 kids remain in the system without knowing the special bonds of a family.

"These kids are out there, we have so much in this country, and these homes they could make a difference for these kids," said Jim Mulvihill.

DCS has information on how to foster or adopt a child here: https://dcs.az.gov/services/foster-care-and-adoption