Paige Bramlett knew she wanted to have a positive impact on William’s life.
The behavior specialist at Johnson County Elementary School had been working with the kindergarten teacher, who had moved from home to foster care, for several months.
They connected and she helped him create structures and develop routines – like every morning a smile and a goodbye with a hug or a piece of candy. When the opportunity arose to care for William, the then 23-year-old Bramlett did not hesitate.
“It was tunnel vision and I did,” she said.
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About two years later, Bramlett and seven-year-old William are mother and son after his adoption in October. Bramlett shared her trip on social media, but it wasn’t until Santa Claus brought a puppy to William two weeks before Christmas that her posts went viral.
Videos of Williams’ meeting with Banks, a Weimaraner puppy, have attracted widespread attention, including an appearance on Good Morning America and a publication in People Magazine.
Bramlett, now 26, said she was already excited about the new year, but now her story is about to reach even more people.
“This is just the beginning of a whole new year of traditions for us,” she said.
A conversation in the hallway
Bramlett met William in August 2019. She liked the job she had at a nearby elementary school but was drawn to take a job at Williams School to work as his behavior specialist.
“It’s such a God thing how this all happened,” said Bramlett when she quit her previous job for William. “I didn’t want to change jobs, but I felt that surge.”
A couple of months in the school year, William missed a day – something that had never happened before. Bramlett said she “felt something was wrong” and was concerned that he had moved to a new foster home outside of school.
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But the next day he came to school with his clerk. Bramlett saw her in the hall, introduced himself, and asked what was going on. The clerk told Bramlett that William needed stability and A.long term home.
Bramlett was already wondering how she could do more for William and asked if she could encourage him. The clerk gave her a card and told her to call if she was serious.
She texted her parents: “I am considering being Williams forever home.”
Become a family
Bramlett became foster parents, and for the second week of January 2020, William was living with her and her parents.
She quit her job to work part-time in order to have more time with William, as well as the training, deadlines, and paperwork that came with foster parenting.
She continued to learn as much as possible about the care system and trauma children experience, including the trauma of separation from their parents and how this affects their brains.
Trauma can mean a lot of different things, said Bramlett, who is committed to helping people learn more and taking a trauma-informed approach with others. She hopes to work with educators on the subject one day.
“People respond and think that love should be enough,” she said, adding that love alone does not change behavior or stop the effects of trauma.
Share their story
Bramlett regularly posts excerpts from her life on social media.
There are photos of William fishing and the couple hiking and going on vacation. Good days, bad days and milestones in between. Smiles and hugs. Lessons learned. Pep talks to himself and other foster parents. Videos of Banks, the puppy who played with William and snuggled close to Bramlett.
“I like to hold onto what we do all our lives,” she said. “And I posted our story from the start.”
She has made videos of TikTok dances, but also about care, adoption and how life has changed.
“First you want to be guarded because this is William’s story, and it’s real,” Bramlett said, adding that others might learn from sharing her story or might not feel alone.
It will also be added to their community of supporters. Via Instagram, Bramlett said she has met more foster mothers who are having experiences similar to her.
Two of Bramlett’s siblings said they had noticed their sister and William’s growth during their time together. Luke Bramlett added that his sister loves working with and helping children, so he wasn’t surprised when she wanted to look after William.
And it fits into the whole family.
“Well, I don’t remember our life before him,” said Haley Bramlett of her nephew.
Paige Bramlett also sees the changes. Her role as Williams’ attorney boosted her confidence and made her stand up more for him.
In William she sees the progress in his schoolwork and his love for math and science. She watches his coping skills take shape and admires his emerging artistic and athletic talents.
“Last year we found that he’s pretty good on rollerblades and skis,” said Bramlett.
Although Bramlett is no longer with him during the day, they work on his homework together every evening after school.
“I miss that part, that brought us together,” she said.
A puppy for Christmas
The trio of TikTok videos that spotlight the story of Bramlett and William have combined millions of views as their story has spread over the past few weeks.
Mom and son had recently moved into their own house, and William kept asking for a puppy for Christmas. Bramlett hesitated. She thought, “How should I do this?”
But after seeing the puppy, she knew she had to add her to the family. She posted a series of videos about the surprise for William.
In the first, he asks about a puppy for Christmas, and the video changes to one of Bramlett driving in the car with Banks in her arms and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” playing in the background. It follows part two in which Haley Bramlett picks up William from school.
He likes to check the mail, and when they got home Haley Bramlett told him to check the mail. A letter from the North Pole was waiting there and William came back to the car to read it. Santa Claus informed William that he would have “the best puppy in Indiana” for Christmas.
William’s eyes widened and he screamed with excitement, “Oh, I really want a puppy!”
He thought he’d have to wait until Christmas to meet his new dog, but part three shows William going inside to find his gift has already arrived.
“He went in there and saw the puppy and had the biggest smile on his face and was so happy,” said Haley Bramlett. “He had no idea that he would get it that day.”
After the videos were released, Bramlett watched the views soar from thousands to over a million. Then actress Jamie Lee Curtis commented on her Facebook page, it was noticed by websites in other countries and news from the media – including Good Morning America and People Magazine.
“It was great to tell our story, hoping it will bring light to nurture nursing and adoption here in our community and around Indianapolis where it is badly needed,” said Bramlett.
She hopes her story will inspire others to help children in foster care – whether it be to become foster parents, provide food or clothing, or learn more about trauma.
“Anyone can start anywhere,” she says.
To learn more about how to become a foster parent and how you can help foster children, visit www.indianafostercare.org.
Call IndyStar Education Reporter MJ Slaby at 317-447-1586 or email her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @mjslaby.
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