From the moment Layla was born, doctors knew she wouldn't live long. Her brain was so underdeveloped that it was little more than a stem. She couldnt see, feed herself or eat, and she passed away when she was just 11 months old.

Days before her death, Layla was adopted by Joe and Melba Cotton, a New Mexico couple whose actions have earned them the Abigail Thomlinson award.

An article on the website of the Hobbs News-Sun provided the following details about the Cottons and the award they recently received:

The award is given to someone in the community each year that demonstrates the courage, willingness to mentor and strength Abigail exhibited during her short life.
Tom Thomlinson's voice broke as he described his daughter during Monday's ceremony. He said the Cottons embody the spirit of the award and that is why he chose them as this year's recipients.

"The award is given to people whose sole purpose is to help people," he said. "For all the children they have helped, this year's recipients stand for what I hope the awards stands for."

The Cottons have spent decades helping children. They have lost count of the number of children they have fostered in the past 25 years and as Joe said in his comments during the ceremony, the couple's journey began long ago when they lost their infant daughter.

Labels: adoptive parents, awards, special_needs

Posted By: Aspen/CRC