A substitute teacher in Florida has officially adopted one of her former students after a heartfelt two-year journey. Jackie Coombe first met 11-year-old Jaden in October 2023 at an elementary school in Ormond Beach. The two instantly connected while she was teaching his class for the school year.

The following spring, Jackie found out that Jaden was living in foster care. She immediately decided to step up and began the long legal process toward adoption, which included extensive background checks and paperwork to ensure she could provide him with a permanent home.

Jaden was permanently placed in Jackie’s care in December 2025. Over the following months, the young boy grew to completely trust her and already considered himself a true part of the family well before the formal legal process was completely finished.

On June 10, a circuit court judge officially finalized the adoption and changed his name to Jaden Andrew Coombe. The courtroom was filled with family members to celebrate the beautiful moment, which Jaden happily summed up by shouting, “I got a mom!”