Concern for one’s fellow man is a feeling shared by many and one of the most effective organizations in implementing this basic human factor is Miami’s Guardian ad Litem (GAL), a non-profit state agency that advocates for abused children.
GAL recruits and trains private citizens to speak up for the children in our courts, so they can get a safe permanent home. Without GAL these children would have no voice. Naturally, there often are emotional cases, but one such incident occurred recently which involved, not a child, but one of the new volunteers.
A young woman named Daniela DeWitt applied to be a volunteer child advocate and went through the Guardian ad Litem training. The last step before certification is to observe real cases at the Children’s Courthouse.
Daniela already stood out from the bunch, because her mother had served as a Guardian ad Litem. Furthermore, at age 19, she was about to become the youngest volunteer in Miami-Dade. Mature beyond her years, she convinced the Guardian ad Litem program that she could handle the responsibilities involved. But something far more amazing was about to happen.
The presiding judge that day was Cindy Lederman, who has served for nearly 30 years on the bench. When Judge Lederman came down from her dais to personally meet with the newly graduated advocates, as is her custom, Daniela tearfully threw her arms around the surprised judge.
Everyone was taken aback. Then, she produced a photograph of a much younger Judge Lederman standing beside beaming parents, the DeWitts, holding toddler Daniela. The tearful girl identified the baby in the picture as herself, though it was obvious. By wonderful coincidence, Judge Lederman had presided over DeWitt’s adoption 17 years earlier.
Judge Lederman was stunned. Daniela told the judge what a wonderful life she has had and how grateful she is, and that she is enrolled in college as a pre-med student. It was such an emotional moment that Judge Lederman led Daniela to the dais and shared the story with the whole courtroom. Many there openly wept with joy.
Here was a young lady stepping forward to give back to the community for the blessings she had received, and was being sworn in by the very same judge who had officiated at her adoption, and helped make her life full. The love had come full circle.
There are many such happy endings in Miami at the Children Courthouse, and Daniela DeWitt hopes to be a party to some of those. Any citizen can do the same by reaching out to Guardian ad Litem.
What a wonderful story. Thanks for sharing.