When Schauna Austin was 20, she found herself facing a life-changing decision—she was pregnant but not ready to raise a child. After much thought, she chose adoption, knowing it would give her baby the best chance at a bright future.

She gave birth to a son, whom she named Riley, and spent every second of the next 72 hours holding him close before saying goodbye.

“It was perfect,” Austin recalled of those three emotional days. “I knew my time with him was short, so I made every moment count. I didn’t sleep for three days.”

A Change of Heart

Riley was adopted by Chris and Jennifer Schoebinger in a closed adoption, meaning Austin wouldn’t have contact with her son or even know his adoptive family. In Utah, where adoptions today are typically open, such arrangements are rare.

However, just a week after bringing their new baby home, the Schoebingers had a change of heart.

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“It just felt right,” Jennifer told CBS News. “She was part of our family.” Chris added, “You can’t have too many people loving you, right? Why couldn’t he be both of ours?”

Instead of keeping their son’s birth mother in the dark, the Schoebingers chose to keep her involved in his life.

A Lifelong Connection

Every year, they sent Austin detailed journals and photos documenting her son's milestones. They even compiled books titled “The Life and Times of Riley,” honoring the name she had given him at birth.

When Steven—his new name—turned seven, the two finally reunited in person. Their bond only grew stronger from there, with Austin even teaching him how to fish.

“I was blessed beyond words,” Austin said. “I got the best of both worlds.” Steven agreed, saying, “For sure.”

Their experience is backed by research—studies show that 84% of adoptees feel greater satisfaction when they maintain ongoing contact with their birth parents.

A Full-Circle Moment

Now 27, Steven and his wife, Kayla, welcomed their first child in August 2022—a baby boy they named Riley, in honor of the name his birth mother originally chose for him.

Austin, now a grandmother, sees this as proof that love knows no boundaries.

“Sometimes we create barriers where they don’t need to be,” Chris Schoebinger reflected. “But when we tear them down, we often find love on the other side.”

This incredible story of love, reunion, and family shows that sometimes, the best way forward is to open our hearts—even when the path is unexpected.