This little girl’s Disney princess adoption surprise will make your heart melt
Five-year-old Danielle Koning couldn't believe her eyes when she saw her favourite princesses turn up at her court hearing
A LITTLE girl had her fairy-tale dream come true when her favourite Disney princesses turned up in the courtroom for her adoption hearing.
Five-year-old Danielle Koning has been living with her foster family Sarah and Jim Koning, from Michigan, US, since March 2014.
The couple went to court for an adoption finalisation hearing so they could formally adopt Danielle and another one-year-old girl.
Knowing how much of a Disney princess fan that she is, Danielle's foster care caseworker suggested the idea to colleagues of bringing in the princesses to the adoption hearing.
Executive director for , Laura Mitchell told :
“It was a special situation that really snowballed out of a request from Danielle’s caseworker, who knew Danielle loved Cinderella so much.
“One of other caseworkers kind of looks like Cinderella, so she said, ‘Would you mind going to the hearing and dressing as Cinderella?'
Staff quickly agreed to the idea and on the big day, eight different Disney princesses and of course one Prince Charming turned up to surprise the little girl - who herself dressed up as a fairy princess.
Even the judge Patricia Gardner w dressed up as Snow White.
Laura said: "It’s obviously a very meaningful day, a joyous occasion. The hearing is definitely a celebration that the kids now have forever families.
"And it shows the love and compassion that our case workers have.”
Danielle's new mum Sarah said: "She was shocked when the princesses first came in. She sure was. The look on her face was priceless."
Sarah admitted the day was "a little surreal" and is thrilled to have completed the adoption.
She added: "We’ve been waiting so long for it and it feels really good to be able to settle and be a real family.
“We have been a real family, but to not have that looming over our head anymore is a pretty amazing feeling.”