Wednesday's Child sisters adopted 21 years ago now using experiences to help others

Two young sisters who were featured on Wednesday's Child 21 years ago have become an adoption success story in Massachusetts.

Back in September 2004, WBZ-TV's Jack Williams interviewed Raegina Anderson and Damaria Joyner. They were hoping to be adopted together, and they got their wish.

"I just remember being super excited, as any young kid would feel, this idea of family. A lot of times I say, family isn't just blood. Being able to call somebody 'family' and call my mom and dad, 'mom and dad,'" Joyner told WBZ recently.

"I really feel like being adopted with my sister was the greatest thing for me because I felt like I had that support as well and we're super close," Anderson said.

Amy Bradshaw and Christopher Winston are their adoptive parents.

"It was just nice that we created some fertile soil that they could grow and bloom and prosper and experiment," Winston said.

"One of the big things that I would say to them is that there is no safe place in the world for a beautiful woman with an empty head. So, they had to really have something in their head, have some sense about them," Bradshaw said.

Anderson and Joyner said their parents taught them education is the key to success. They're now using their experiences to give back. The two have started a non-profit to help people ages 18 to 27.

"What we do is we help them with resources and education, getting access to jobs and also overall support," Anderson said.

"A lot of times people tie success to monetary, but for Raegina and I, it's more of a drive from what we have been through and coming from the emotional aspect and understanding what other youth are going through," Joyner said.

Williams, now retired, recently sent the sisters a message congratulating them on all of their success.

"It's nice to hear Jack's voice after 20 plus years, he looks great and sounds the same," Anderson said.

"My first reaction, just overall joy and gratefulness for just the whole situation and how things turned out," Joyner said. 

For more information on adoption you can contact MARE: 617-964-MARE (6273) or visit www.mareinc.org.

Since its inception in 1981, Wednesday's Child has been a collaboration of the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE), the Department of Children & Families and WBZ-TV/CBS Boston. Hosted by Jack Williams for 34 years, this weekly series has given a face and voice to the children who wait the longest for families. Wednesday's Child has helped find homes for hundreds of waiting children and continues to raise awareness about adoption from foster care.