'Angels on Earth': Tennessee Family Adopts Medically Complex Children

April 14, 2025

Today's good news story comes from Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Caleb and Ruchala Bone from Tennessee always dreamed of having a large family—but they never imagined just how extraordinary their journey would become.

The Bone family 

Their path took a meaningful turn when their first child, Griffin, was born with a heart condition and required open-heart surgery at only three months old.

“We were kinda thrust into the world of medically complex kids that way,” Ruchala shared with local news station News Channel 5.

That experience opened their eyes to the significant number of medically fragile children in the foster care system. Wanting to make a difference, the Bones decided to take action.

They began fostering children with serious medical needs, starting with a child who eventually reunited with their birth family. Then came Everitt, a boy with epilepsy, uncontrolled seizures, and cerebral palsy, whom they adopted. In 2022, they welcomed Maurice into their family. Maurice required a kidney transplant—and today, thanks to that life-saving surgery, he’s thriving.

Most recently, the Bones adopted Isabella, a little girl who entered their home at just five months old following open-heart surgery. Much of Isabella’s early life was spent in the hospital, but now she’s surrounded by love and support.

Fostering medically complex children is no easy task. Suzanne Jones of Youth Villages emphasized the dedication it requires.

“We have a lot of children who end up coming to us out of hospitals,” she said. “Foster parents have to go through training at the hospital, so sometimes that can be daunting. They have to go through the full medical training to know how to care for their medically needy child.”

Jones described the Bone family as a rare and remarkable gift.

“They are absolutely angels on earth,” she said.

For Ruchala, the challenges are far outweighed by the joy and purpose these children bring into their lives.

“It’s been the greatest experience of our life,” she said.

Watch the heartwarming video below: