A stepdaughter’s surprise gift to her father figure on Father’s Day left them both in tears when she presented him with adult adoption papers to make their bond official.
Daisy Garcia, 22, from Houston, Texas, had been planning the emotional moment for years, wanting to honor the man who chose to love her unconditionally since she was just five years old.
On June 15, she called her stepdad Esteban “Steven” Lopez, 49, to her parents’ dining table and handed him a handwritten card explaining just how much he meant to her.
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As Steven read through Daisy’s heartfelt words, tears began streaming down his face – but the biggest surprise was yet to come.
Inside the card were adult adoption papers, asking him to officially become her father.
The moment proved overwhelming for the 49-year-old, who immediately said yes to Daisy’s request in a beautiful interaction captured on video.
Steven had always been more than just physically present in Daisy’s life. He consistently made the effort to sit with her at mealtimes, offer advice, and love her as if she were his own daughter.
“The surprise came about throughout the years,” Daisy said. “It was always in the back of my mind, but I never took the initiative – mainly because I was still underage and didn’t know what the process would look like.”
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The idea crystallized during a recent vacation when Daisy discussed Father’s Day gift ideas with her boyfriend and friends.
“I was talking to my friends and boyfriend about the holiday coming up and I was struggling finding a gift at the store,” she explained. “I started going into detail about how much Steve meant to me and adoption papers came up.”
What had initially seemed daunting became an emotional journey as Daisy filled out the necessary paperwork and crafted the perfect card to express her feelings.
“He seemed lost for sure, and I had no idea how he was going to react, but it all played out beautifully,” Daisy said.
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She admitted she wasn’t prepared for Steven’s emotional response even before he saw the papers.
“I didn’t know how he was going to react, let alone cry while just reading the card before seeing the adoption papers,” she said. “When I saw tears flowing from the card, I knew he would lose it once he saw the papers.”
For Daisy, the adoption represents far more than a legal formality.
“A message I hope people take from seeing this story is that family isn’t necessarily just who you come from; it’s who shows up and loves you with no conditions,” she said.
“This adoption isn’t just about changing names – it’s about honoring the man who changed my life.”
The next steps require Daisy to pay a fee and confirm a court date to finalize the adoption.
But the sentiment is already clear: “Now, I’m choosing him back.”
