Family goes from three kids to 9 in one day for the most heartbreaking but beautiful reason

This is both a heartbreaking and beautiful story that will make you hug your little ones that little bit tighter tonight.

When Stephanie Baylous Culley from Virginia reconnected with her high school friend, Beth Laitkep, she didn’t realise that her life was about to change forever.

Stephanie, a mum of three, was friends with Beth when they were growing up but they grew apart after graduation.

However, they reconnected years later when they both started working together. 

Sadly, when Beth was pregnant with her sixth child, she was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer.

And while she fought bravely, the cancer spread to her spine, nervous system and brain, and she passed away on May 19th 2016, at the age of 39.

Stephanie Culley adopta a los 6 hijos de su amiga fallecida. ¡Hermoso gesto de amor! https://t.co/iv7gV6hIZH pic.twitter.com/DXiW7Rcw50

— Cultura de la Vida ﻥ (@provida_a) June 13, 2016

Beth left behind six children: Will, 15, Selena, 14, Jaxon, 11, Dallas, 10, Lily, five, and two-year-old Ace.

“But what was in her stars was finding a dear friend, Stephanie Baylous Culley, whom she met while attending Halifax County High School," Kathy Woods wrote on a GoFundMe page set up to help the family.

"The two young women worked together at Wal-Mart and knew each other as teenagers, but had not seen each other in many years. A friendship picked up where it left off.

“Culley saw a need to help her friend and her family during Laitkep’s struggles. She was there for her friend during many treatments and everything else that Laitkep went through during her battle.”

Before she died though, Beth had wanted to make sure all of her children would be safe, and asked Stephanie to take them in – and that is how the Culley family went from three kids to nine in one day.  

Stephanie Culley is so grateful for the love and support for adopting her friends 6 kids, after she passed away. pic.twitter.com/fJzusby0Yk

— Caren Pinto (@CarenRPinto) September 13, 2016

"God had a plan. I always wondered why I built my house this big," said Stephanie who, along with her husband Donnie, took the kids in without question.

“Legal documents were prepared and signed. Laitkep was able to rest easy knowing her children were going to be well taken care of and much loved.

"The two women would have a bond forever by the six children.

"Laitkep knew that they shared the same parenting style and wanted her children brought up in a Christian home.”

What an incredible family, they deserve all the luck in the world.