10-year-old Kalani Watson surprised his mother's husband by asking him to officially become his stepfather. Facebook / Porsche Williamson
On his 10th birthday, Kalani Watson surprised his mother's husband by asking him to officially become his stepfather.
The moving adoption proposal made in Los Angeles on April 30 was videotaped by Kalani's mother and shared on social media, where it has gone viral, racking up more than 3.3million viewsas of Tuesday afternoon.
In the cell phone video, a nervous-looking Kalani stands in front of his stepdad, Brandon Williamson, surrounded by his young cousins, and begins to read a letter in a halting voice.
"Dad, I know today is supposed to be all about me, but today is really about us," the birthday boy reads from a piece of paper.
He then goes through some of the things Williamson has done for him over the past seven years, including taking him to all of his school programs, attending his sporting events and showing him "cool places."
Kalani then posits three questions to Williamson: 'Do you love me? Do you love mum? Can you live without us?'
Finally, the 10-year-old pops the big question to his stepdad: "So let's stop playing games and make it official: Brandon Craig Williamson, will you do me the biggest favour in the world? Will you adopt me?"
Brandon met Kalani's mother, Porsche Haynes, when the boy was just two years old and has been raising him as his own son. Photo / Facebook
At that, Williamson, a burly, tattooed Los Angeles International Airport porter, breaks down in tears and takes a long pause to get his emotions under control motioning his stepson over and enveloping the boy in a giant bear hug.
He then unwraps a gift box that Kalani had presented to him before reading the letter and finds inside a packet of blank adoption papers for him to fill out.
Brandon met Kalani's mother, Porsche Haynes, when the boy was just two years old and has been raising him as his own son ever since. Kalani reportedly has not seen his biological father in many years, according to KTLA.
The couple got married in 2012. During the wedding ceremony, Williamson made vows not only to his bride, but also to Kalani, reported Inside Edition. They are now expecting their first child together, another boy, who is due in July.
Kalani was four years old when he worked up the courage to ask Brandon if he could call him "daddy," which reduced the man to tears.
Porsche told the Huffington Post her son originally had planned to ask her husband to adopt him on Father's Day in June, but he could not wait any longer and decided to do it during his birthday party on April 30 following two months of meticulous planning.
Kalani told KTLA it "felt good" to finally let the man he calls his 'dad' know how he feels about him.
Williamson shared the video of Kalani's adoption proposal on his Instagram page, writing in the comments section: "Yesterday for his Birthday my son gave me one of the Greatest Gifts... I never used the word STEP SON , I never cared about DNA , If you know me he just been my BOY... Excuse the emotions but he Broke The Hulk Down."
Williamson' father has recently passed away, so now he plans to visit his gravesite and fill out the adoption papers there, surrounded by his family.
Kalani said he also wants to take his stepdad's last name. His mother promised they would make it happen.
