4-year-old boy finds forever family thanks to Wednesday’s Child: “Our hearts were just open to him”

BOSTON – You never know what it will take to complete your family.

Michelle and Catherine Mattera already had two boys, Mikey and Noah, and they wanted to open their hearts to another son. Thanks to the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) and Wednesday’s Child, they found four-year-old Joey.

“We always wanted a big family and had children a little later, and after the second child I had I thought, ‘No, we’re at our limit,’ but we had already started looking into adoption,” Michelle said WBZ TV.

Adoption in Massachusetts

They decided to spend time on MARE’s adoption website.

“It went surprisingly quickly for us. They got us into the MAPP program, probably within two weeks of us inquiring. They did our home study very quickly. The hardest part was inquiring with kids,” said Catherine.

And that’s where Joey’s profile first caught their attention.

“When we actually met him, it was like it was game over and I will definitely be the person crying about it,” Michelle said.

But the situation was not that simple. Joey is autistic and non-verbal, but during their first meeting with him he melted their hearts.

“I mean, they told us he probably wouldn’t look at you or give you much affection and he came and laid on both of our laps and was just cuddling,” Michelle told WBZ.

Despite the whirlwind of their lives, they wanted to give Joey a forever home.

“We love a challenge, we’re constantly told. I’m studying law, she’s doing her masters, we work full-time, we already have two boys, we’re competing against a non-verbal autistic child. Our hearts were just open to him,” said Catherine.

Adopt Joey

Over the next few months, the Matteras adjusted to life with the newest member of their family.

“We did so much research. We put him in the right programs. ABA therapy every day from 9 to 5. They’ve done wonders for him,” Catherine told WBZ.

Within a year it was made official. Joey had his forever home and two brothers. Big brother Noah has absorbed all of this.

“I love my brothers, but sometimes they can annoy me as usual, but most of all I love them in my heart,” he said.

Joey’s new parents couldn’t have imagined life without him and they are hopeful about the possibilities.

“To see him develop new skills and see new things. I mean, that’s what we’re hoping for him, you know. We’re still thinking that, we’re praying that he’ll speak. We’ve had in a year, like, new growth seen that anything can happen,” said Michelle.

For more information, contact MARE: 617-964-MARE (6273) or visit www.mareinc.org.

Since its founding in 1981, Wednesday’s Child has been a partnership of the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE), the Department of Children & Families and WBZ-TV/CBS Boston. Hosted by Jack Williams for 34 years, this weekly series has given a face and voice to the children who have been waiting the longest for families. Wednesday’s Child has helped find homes for hundreds of waiting children and continues to raise awareness about foster care adoption.