American Couple Returns Home from Ukraine After Adopting a Boy



A couple from Texas, USA, came back from a turmoil-filled Ukraine a few days ago after going through a lot of hurdles – with a boy they wanted to adopt for over a year. As tensions rose in Ukraine, Americans were told to evacuate as soon as possible; this Texas couple came back with their adopted boy, Ruslan.

Kelci and Theron Jagge saw Ruslan’s photo on Instagram a year ago and instantly fell in love with the boy. He was in an orphanage in Eastern Ukraine. He was born with cerebral palsy. Kelci told FOX 4:

“We saw his picture before we even decided to adopt,”
“We were like, ‘The time is now. There’s no better time.”



When the adoption was being finalized in a tense Ukraine, the couple’s return to America was becoming a problem. At this point, their 4-year-old boy had pneumonia and needed medical care. The couple received an email from the US embassy, and they rushed with their boy.


Theron told FOX 4:


“We were racing against time at this point,”

“We were not able to get a visa for him finalized until after hours the Friday before the embassy was evacuated. So, he got the last visa that the embassy issued before the evacuation.”



After getting Ruslan’s visa process finalized, the couple was still stopped at the airport. Kelci told FOX 4:

“I told them, ‘Look at our son. He’s going to die if you make us wait 30 days. He will not survive 30 days.’ And they did not care,”

The couple, trying to find a way to get their sick boy back to America, hired a lawyer. They were finally able to get back to Texas. Theron told FOX 4:

“It was all the Lord. It was all God,”

“Little things happened along the way that opened up the doors to get us home.”




The couple is back in San Antonio, and little Ruslan is in the ICU receiving medical care. While speaking about the other children who are still in Ruslan’s orphanage, Kelsi told FOX 4:

“I know a lot of people look at us like, ‘Why are you going there? You are crazy.’ Well, if that’s your child and your child was stranded in a war zone you would do anything to get them out,”