He Adopted Nine Black Girls Nobody Wanted in 1979 — 46 Years Later, What They Became Will Leave You in Tears

When Richard Miller lost his wife, Anne, in 1979, he thought his world had ended. Their home, once filled with laughter and plans for a family, suddenly fell silent. Friends told him to remarry, but he clung to Anne’s final words: “Don’t let love die with me. Give it somewhere to go.”

Months later, on a rainy night, Richard walked into St. Mary’s Orphanage. There he found nine little girls — all Black, all abandoned, and all about to be separated. The sight broke his heart. Against everyone’s expectations, he told the matron, “I’ll take them all.”

The decision shocked many. Some called him reckless. Others questioned his sanity. But Richard didn’t care. He sold nearly everything he owned, built nine small cribs by hand, and worked double shifts to provide for them.

Raising nine children alone was never easy. He learned how to braid hair, soothe nightmares, and pack nine lunchboxes every morning. His home slowly filled again — this time with laughter, dancing, and the unshakable bond of chosen family.

Decades later, those girls grew into women who carried Richard’s love wherever they went. Sarah became a teacher, Naomi a nurse, Leah a counselor. Each built a life rooted in kindness and resilience.

Now, at 91, Richard sits at a long dinner table surrounded by the nine women who still call him “Dad.” The promise he made to Anne lives on — proof that love doesn’t die. It multiplies.