May 16, 2023
About five million Americans are adopted. It might be you or someone you know. Despite this, outdated misperceptions still persist. Forever Families Through Adoption works to demystify adoption through education and awareness.
Sam Karliner is a husband, father, and Ironman triathlete. He is also an adoptive parent and sits on the board of directors for the organization Forever Families Through Adoption. Through his Ironman triathlon races, he came to realize that there could be an even greater accomplishment in competing by using his races as a platform to help educate and inform others about adoption and help so many people create forever families.
In 2011, Sam began to wonder just how far he could push his body and mind in an endurance event. That led to his first Ironman race. While it was a fantastic experience, he saw other people share their journey of Ironman as a way to help raise awareness to a cause that was important to them. Since then, he has been raising awareness and education about adoption, specifically for the organization Forever Families Through Adoption located in Rye Brook, NY. He takes all his supporters along with him as he writes their names on the frame of his bike and uses their support as inspiration during a very long day of 140.6 miles.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Sam's connection to adoption
- Demystifying adoption and changing the perception of it
- How Forever Families Through Adoption works to create awareness and support for the adoption process
- How adoption has changed over the years
- What Sam has learned in his Ironman competitions
Links Mentioned in This Episode:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter