‘I got you’: Stepdad’s emotional adoption surprise leaves boy in tears

Parenthood is more than biology—it’s about showing up, loving unconditionally, and making a child feel safe. And for one 11-year-old boy, hearing those words from his stepdad changed everything.

A heartwarming video of stepdad Raul Arana asking his stepson, Ezra, if he could officially adopt him has gone viral, amassing 9.9 million views on Instagram. The emotional moment, captured on a home security camera, proves that love—steady, chosen, and unconditional—is what truly makes a family.

“You know I love you, right?”

The video, shared by Ezra’s mother, Lisa Arana, opens with stepdad Raul Arana sitting down with his stepson in his bedroom. His voice is gentle, his words full of reassurance.

“Ezra, can I ask you a question? You know I love you like my son, right?”

Ezra nods.

Then, Raul takes a deep breath and asks the life-changing question:

“How do you feel if I adopt you?”

Ezra pauses, as if trying to process the weight of the moment. “For real? For real?” he asks, before standing up and wrapping his arms around Raul, unable to hold back his tears.

As Raul holds him close, he reassures him: “So, you’re going to have my last name. You know I love you, right? And I got you.”

It’s a simple phrase—I got you—but for a child who has known loss and uncertainty, it means everything.

Related: These viral photos of a dad and stepdad are co-parenting #goals

A family’s journey to forever

Lisa, a mother of four from San Jacinto, California, shared the video with the caption:

“My heart! I can’t stop crying! My son has been hurt, he’s been rejected, and my husband came into his life and filled the holes in my son’s little broken heart, piece by piece!”

She and Raul met in an unexpected yet serendipitous way—first at his barbershop, where she and her children were regulars, and then at the gym where she worked. As it turns out, Raul had been quietly gathering the courage to ask her out for eight months.

The couple married in October 2023, and Raul quickly became a steady, loving presence for Lisa’s children. But his love for them wasn’t just an extension of his love for her—it was a commitment all its own.

During a car ride one day, Raul turned to Lisa and asked, “Babe, what do you think if I adopted Ezra?”

Lisa was deeply moved. “It’s one thing for my husband to love my children because he loves me,” she tells TODAY. “But this man wants to be a dad to my son.”

A new beginning for Ezra

Lisa and Raul knew that Ezra was old enough to make this decision himself.

“He’s old enough to know what he wants,” Lisa says. “We wanted it to be his choice.”

Raul admits he was nervous before asking. “It was hard to ask a child such a serious question. It caught me by surprise how Ezra reacted.”

Since the proposal, Lisa says Ezra is a completely different kid. “Before, Ezra was so angry, and you could tell that his sadness followed him. Now, he’s so happy.”

For Ezra, this adoption isn’t just a legal process—it’s proof that love can be steady, healing, and permanent. Because sometimes, the most powerful thing a child can hear is simply: “I got you.”

To the stepmoms, stepdads, and bonus parents out there: What’s something you’ve done to show your child that they are yours, forever? Let’s celebrate those small, steady acts of love.

Related: “We need more men like you”: A stranger’s note left this dad in tears