A stepdad fights back the tears as he turns to the last page of a photo album filled with memories of him and his stepdaughter to discover a heartfelt adoption request. When Kayleigh Hafley, aged eight, handed Dennis Starr Jr., 27, a photo book, he began flicking through page after page of photos of their five-year journey together. The book had been put together by Kayleigh herself, and when Dennis reached the final page, he found a hand-written note: Will you be my real dad and adopt me? As soon as he saw the note, an emotional Dennis struggled holding back tears of joy. He and Kayleigh's mom, Lacie Hafley, 34, from Etowah, Tennessee, have been together for five years, since Kayleigh was three. Initially, Lacie said, Kayleigh couldn’t warm to the idea of having a new dad, as it had always been her and her mom since her biological father had left them. But, over time, Kayleigh started referring to Dennis as her father, and the pair bonded over fishing trips and playing video games together.
