Adopted at Twelve, Then Chose to Adopt Himself (with Ed Kehl)
Two days. That's how long passed between Ed Kehl burying his infant son and getting the call about a baby boy who needed a family. He said yes before he'd finished processing the funeral.
On this episode of Voices of Adoption, hosts Donna Pope and Nathan Gwilliam bring listeners a guest who has stood on both sides of the adoption triad. Donna sits down with Ed Kehl, a former BYU and NFL lineman who was adopted at twelve and later became an adoptive father himself, first through devastating loss, then through a decision made in days rather than months.
The Twins He Lost
Ed's twins were born at 23 weeks. His daughter lived three weeks. His son lived nine months, on a ventilator, before Ed and his wife made the hardest decision of their lives. In the middle of it, his team let him go for wanting to be with his family instead of on the field.
A Yes That Came in Two Days
Days after his son's funeral, a family connection led to a phone call about a baby who needed a home. Ed met with a judge, a family friend willing to move quickly, and became a father again before he'd had time to grieve on his own terms. It was an unusually fast process, driven by who he knew rather than a typical timeline.
Love That Does Not Split Down the Middle
Ed has two biological children and two adopted children, and he's asked constantly whether he loves them differently. His answer, and the story behind it, is the heart of this conversation.
This conversation is not really about football, or even about adoption alone. It is about what happens when love gets tested twice, once as a child hoping someone would choose him, and once as a father proving he'd choose right back. No matter where you are in your journey, you'll find people who understand.
Hear Ed Kehl's full story of becoming a father, twice over.
Download Your FREE Guide to Adoption at VoicesofAdoption.org. Like, share, and subscribe to spread the word.Follow or Subscribe to Voices of Adoption on your favorite platform Website: VoicesofAdoption.org | YouTube: @VoicesofAdoptionShow | Twitter (X): @Voices_Adoption | Instagram: @Voicesof_Adoption | Facebook: Voices of Adoption | TikTok: @Voices_of_Adoption | LinkedIn: Voices of Adoption Follow Donna Pope (Host, Executive Director of Heart to Heart Adoptions) LinkedIn: @donna-pope | Website: HeartToHeartAdopt.com Follow Nathan Gwilliam (Co-Host, Founder of Adoption.com) LinkedIn: @nathangwilliam | Website: PodUp.com | Podcasts - Why We Believe: WhyWeBelieve.com | Podcasting Secrets: PodcastingSecrets.com Follow Ed Kehl (Guest, adoptee and adoptive father)
