Welcome home: Photo of Arizona boy adopted days before Christmas goes viral

PHOENIX — A photo of a Phoenix boy who was adopted just days before Christmas has touched the heart of the internet and gone viral.

Tara Montgomery told ABC News that 3-year-old Michael had spent 832 days in the state’s foster care system before he was adopted by her family on Tuesday.

Forever Family❤️ #Adopted pic.twitter.com/Ql8LpiknPA

— dae brown (@daaebrown) December 20, 2016

Montgomery said Michael’s adoption was simply meant to be because of how well he meshed with her family before his adoption. He even had the same last name as her two daughters, who are not biologically related to Michael.

“Michael was placed with us on Feb. 14, 2015, when he was 18 months old. We were his third foster family,” she said. “His original case plan was reunification with his ‘bio-mom.’ When that plan failed, a new plan was set. As a single parent, I was not looking to adopt, just to help kids during transition.”

Montgomery said her daughters played a big part in bringing Michael into the family.

“He is the most loving, smart, funny and happy kiddo,” she told ABC News. “He wakes in the morning and says, ‘Mom, I so happy.'”

She said the viral photo of him — which is shown above and was picked up by BuzzFeed, the Huffington Post and numerous other outlets — is a perfect example of his personality.

“He couldn’t help but let everyone know that he was being adopted today,” Montgomery told ABC News. “We are so happy to have Michael in our lives.”

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