On Jordan Benewiat’s eighth birthday, her mom became intoxicated. It wasn’t uncommon for Jordan or her brother Jarred to go through this, but that night, she was combative and destroyed their house. When her boyfriend came back from his trip, he reached out to the police, which resulted in the two children being swiftly taken into foster care.
Despite lacking any familial connection, Steven Benewiat wished to retain custody of the two children, enabling them to continue their lives together. Upon finding no other homes suitable for both siblings, the state provided him with emergency care.
“The initial time I saw my dad crying was when he thought the state would take us from him,” Jordan tells Love What Matters. “I was puzzled by his tears in the courtroom, but when he opened up to me, I began to cry too, and he embraced me until it was time to leave.” Luckily, by a twist of fate, he received emergency foster rights. Three years after that time, Steven formally adopted Jordan and Jarred. Since the time they came under his care, their lives changed dramatically for the better. “My father gave me a feeling of stability and security that I had never felt before.” Prior to encountering him, for as long as I remember, I experienced nervousness
My brother and I had to consider if we would have meals, if we would go to school, and if our mom might die from her heavy drinking,” Jordan reveals to Love What Matters.
“He was present whenever we required his help.” He gave back to me the final part of my childhood. I was finally able to ride my bike, go to school, participate in sports, and not worry about dinner. He gave me a contact to reach out to when my life appears to be falling apart. He gave me a feeling of safety I had never known before. “My existence would be entirely altered without him.”
Jordan made a TikTok to showcase her father’s generosity and the gratitude she has for him. The video now has 1.4 million likes and over 9 million views, with comments filled with support and love for Steven.
Jordan states, “I never expected to witness the world pause to say, ‘hey man, we appreciate you being a good person.’” “All I desire in this life is to contribute and prove that I deserve the sacrifices he made for two children who had nothing.” Consequently, the many individuals expressing their fondness for him has led us to feel that he is finally receiving the recognition he has genuinely deserved throughout his life.
Due to the affection that Steven showed for Jordan during her upbringing, she has managed to recover from her traumatic experiences and flourish into a joyful young woman. She considers her connection with him to be one of the most significant aspects of her life.
“I just want all to recognize that our dad is our hero.” “I remember all the feelings I went through during the seven years we didn’t know him, and without him, I probably would have endured over 18 years of that pain,” Jordan remarks.
“My dad’s work persisted on the day we were taken in.” Even at this moment, he steps up whenever we need his assistance. He’s one of the few people on Earth who hasn’t let me down so far.”
