Jerry Windle, a single gay man, didn’t believe that he would be a father because people always told him he would not. However, his life took a beautiful turn in the parental world.
Viral Strange will tell the most beautiful story of a single gay dad who adopted an ill child that became an Olympic champion! Good parenting overthrows all social prejudices and stereotypes.
A magazine story that changed his life
Being a single gay man, Jerry Windle struggled to adopt a child in the US. But his life would change one beautiful day when he saw a magazine story about the life of orphans in Cambodia.
He contacted the Cambodian officials, hoping to hear good news.
In June 2000, Jerry went to Cambodia, where he met his future son, Jordan. Jordan was suffering from malnutrition, scabies, and severe infections.
Jerry adopted him and took care of his health back home to Florida.
The challenges as a new family
Being in Florida, there were many challenges for the new family. Jordan was only 2-years-old and weighed only 16 pounds.
He had many health issues and communicated with his new father through sign language.
Jerry promised that he would do everything he could to make Jordan healthy.
An Olympic champ’ by ‘accident’
At the age of 7, Jordan met Tim O’Brien, the son of a famous diving coach, in a diving camp. Then he entered a special diving program.
He also met the Olympic gold medalist and LGBT activist Greg Louganis. Jordan qualified for the men’s platform event after 3 Olympic trials: at age 13 and 16.
The strongest bond between father and son
In 2021, Jordan competed for the US at the Olympics. He also got the Cambodian flag tattooed on his arm to remind him where he comes from.
Both father and son shared their story in a children’s book that they wrote in 2011.
The book An Orphan No More: The True Story of a Boy, tells the story of Rodney the rooster, who wants to be a father more than anything, and Jordy, the orphan duckling he adopts, parallels the real-life story of Jerry Windle and his son Jordan, the Cambodian orphan he adopts. Together they face the obstacles of being a different sort of family.
“Where there is love, there is family.” What are your thoughts on single parenthood? Is it more difficult to manage or does it happen to every sort of family? Share your opinion in the comment section.