A mom gave her 11-year-old son a beautiful surprise when she revealed that she had changed his middle name to that of his beloved late uncle – the first father figure she said he had, who had helped raise the youngster.
The moment was a double surprise for Roselyn Kodack’s family, as she also revealed to her son that she had changed his last name to that of his stepdad, her new husband – a surprise that even he didn’t know was coming.
Roselyn, 34, from Pittston, Pennsylvania, was raised by her sister and brother-in-law, Scott, who became her legal guardian in her teens.
When Roselyn’s son, Cole, was born, she struggled to raise him financially as a single mom, but Scott and Nicole offered to help, and Cole became incredibly close to his Uncle Scott.
The pair would build LEGO structures together, spending hours bonding as they made their way through different sets tied to the likes of Star Wars, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
After Scott passed in August 2019, aged 50, Cole had a tough time accepting that his uncle was gone.
Over the years that followed, Cole kept a memory book of his uncle, a grievance bear to remind him of Scott, and also wore Scott’s wedding band around his neck on a necklace, often pulling it out to explain the necklace was a way of keeping his uncle’s memory alive.
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After Roselyn married her husband, Anthony Kodack, 28, in September 2023, she began changing Cole’s last name to Kodack, too, at which point she got the idea of adding “Scott” as his middle name.
Neither Anthony nor Cole knew about the name change, which Roselyn said was granted on November 27, so she decided to break the news to them on Christmas Day at her sister Nicole’s home.
With Cole reaching for the last gift under the tree, Anthony saw a message for him, too, in which Roselyn explained her love and appreciation for him.
Then, with Cole and Anthony seated together, Cole opened a pillow in his favorite Pittsburgh Steelers’ colors, spelling out his new name: Cole Scott Kodack.
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The moment saw Anthony well up as he fought back tears of joy, with Roselyn capturing her husband and son’s emotional reactions on video.
In the future, Cole cannot wait to tell everyone his new name, Roselyn said, and she hopes that one day Anthony can legally adopt the 11-year-old, too.
Cole – who has taken to calling himself Cole Scott for emphasis – was also looking forward to returning to school and having his name changed on various items, keeping his uncle’s memory alive.
Roselyn said: “During my mother-son dance with Cole at our wedding, he wished he was a Kodack to match his stepfather and younger sister.
“This gave me the idea to change his name – and changing Cole’s middle name was also an instant idea.
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“I saw this opportunity as a chance to correct a wrong and to give my son an identity he can be proud of.
“I have excited this gift dropping not-so-subtle hints.
“Anthony had no idea this was for both of them, and they seemed confused about who the gift was for.
“But then, my emotions were so overwhelming and heartwarming. Both of their reactions made my heart melt.
“I was nervous about whether Cole would understand what this change meant.
“I was crying before they even opened up their gifts.
“I love my son so much and wanted to give him self-completion.
“This was one of the happiest moments of my life.”