'Forever Family' Shares Wednesday's Child Success Story

DENVER (CBS4) - Every week CBS4 features a story of a Wednesday's Child searching for a forever family. It's wonderful when that child and family find each other, just like Tommy Olson and his family did in 1997.

Now a college student, Tommy looks back at how adoption changed his life.

"I remember the playground and I remember having a lot of fun on it, crawling around it," Tommy said.

Tommy is now a 19-year-old college basketball player.

"I guess you could say I'm one of a kind," he said.

Ray and Suzette Olson agreed. It so happened Suzette was the secretary at Tommy's elementary school.

"He was just barely five and I fell in love," Suzette said.

Then she saw him on CBS4.

"I knew we wanted him and I didn't want anyone to get a one-up on us," she said. "I was so afraid they'd take him away from us. Even though he wasn't given to us yet, he was mine."

Ray and Suzette did bring Tommy home to join older sisters Lindsay and Kristin.

"Lindsey wanted me and Kristin wanted a dog," Tommy joked.

They all became close thanks to adoption.

"There's a lot of kids out there going through some rough times and having some trouble but they can always get through those with the right people to love them and care for them," Tommy said.

Tommy said he thinks one day he will be a "cool" dad.

Adoption has shaped who they are.

"It isn't necessarily for everybody, but I think there are more people out there who could do it than really realize they can; it's an incredible experience," Ray said.

Tommy will never forget being a Wednesday's Child.

"Everybody needs somebody to love," Tommy said.

And his parents will always treasure finding their forever son.

"We couldn't be prouder," Suzette said.

To learn more about any of the children looking for a forever family, call the adoption exchange at (303) 755-4756 or (800) 451-5246. Or visit the Adoption Exchange website.