An American Family
by Jon and Michael Galluccio with David GrollIn December, 1995, Michael Galluccio and Jon Holden met their foster son. They took him home a few days later. Jon became a stay at home Daddy to Adam. He played with Adam and also gave him his medication, as Adam was born addicted to numerous drugs and having HIV antibodies in his system. Adam's mother relinquished her parental rights so that Adam could be adopted, and died a short while later. Adam's genetic father is unknown. However, Jon and Michael wanted to adopt Adam. When they found out that New Jersey's DYFS would not permit an unmarried couple to adopt, and that the DYFS was recommending that only Michael adopt, Jon and Michael weren't happy. They argued that it was not in Adam's best interest to have only one legal parent, and no legal bond between himself and Jon. The ACLU took the case and they went to court.
During this time, the Galluccios(Jon changes his name during the time frame of the book) have had other foster children placed with them and Jon has been looking for his own biological parents. Adam's placement changed Jon and Michael and Michael's family.
Chapters in this book alternate between the first person narratives of Jon and Michael. Pictures are given showing Jon, Michael, the kids, and the various parts of family. This isn't really the story of the legal battle, and the book doesn't even go into a comprehensive account of that battle. This is a story about an elastic family, the rights of homosexuals, and about adoption.
Question: What makes a family?
Happy reading.
