 We begin tonight with a heartwarming story of love, a story of a local couple whose generosity and kindness is helping those less fortunate. Kent and Chantel Dudley have been adopting children since 2004. Not just any children, but medically fragile special needs children from the United States foster care system. Haiti Clotter has their incredible story. This is what a typical day looks like for the Dudley's, a house full of life. There are 10 kids playing around or receiving medical treatment. You can say they have a full house. For us, it just works better to have only the medical children. Kent and Chantel Dudley started adopting children with serious medical conditions and haven't looked back ever since. They blended their own family of seven children, have adopted six, and four are pending adoption. That brings them a total of 17 children. And I was assuming an orphanage overseas or, you know, not married with other children working with drug addicted babies. I had no idea it was going to be looking like this, where we would adopt children one by one and each one of our kids were drug addicted. Life wasn't always this way for the family. Kent spent 16 years as a chaplain and musician as part of his group, Ben Deney. Chantel was a stay-at-home mom. Now that their life has gone in a different direction, their focus is on caring for their children full-time. The music was a big, just a venue where we could go out and promote adoption. We talked a lot about adoption and I think there were somewhere around 10 to 12 families that stepped out and directly adopted because of the concerts we'd put on and talking about adoption. Usually if you ask most of our kids that can talk, they'll just say, my mama couldn't take care of me or there was an accident and mama couldn't take care of me. It's a completely different story from years ago when one child was left in the closet and tortured and another was left in the toilet. Math is fun to play with and he's funny, which I really like having in here. I live by my mom and dad. They're the best ever. No parents should have to lose a child and unfortunately, the dead least know that pain too well. Two of their daughters passed away, Rania and Kaia. Those girls are never forgotten as Chantel keeps the angel wings at hung in Rania's room and she has a special way to honor the girls with the memory tree. We wanted to hold on to her, but even today, we know that she's not hurting anymore. Some of the kids don't know what Christmas feels like and will finally experience that for the first time, waking up with their family and seeing what gifts are under the tree. The thought of children going to bed at night and not having parents to read to them or to tuck them in to have Christmas with a family. That's still, even 10 kids later, that still bothers me. Of course, this wouldn't be possible without the help from others. The dead least have nurses, PCAs and LVNs to help care for the children. Chantel caused them her all stars. Our family, some of these nurses get, they get hands on experience where even in school, they're not offered that with the specialty peeds. And so it's been fun. On this night, the nurses are in until seven, then the dead least take over. They split the shifts and it works for them. I would much rather do hands on, giving showers, getting kids dressed, being on the floor, rolling around, playing. Mom is great with appointments and forms and medications and doctors and coordinating nurses and these are going on every day. Six children are tube fed and three are on a trach. With everything they experience on a daily basis, it can be tough sometimes. The dead least continuously uplift each other and sometimes enjoy time to themselves in their personal sanctuary, also known as a living room. We're best friends. When he's having a really tough day, I'll usually be a little stronger that day and vice versa. For such a big family, one will need a big house. Bended Knee Ranch was built five years ago and the dead least renovated the house themselves. It's a team effort. Kent builds and Chantel decorates. It's also expensive. Last January, the electric bill was $1,200. We get a subsidy that keeps, you know, the cupboards full and our supply list is off the charts. You would not believe the supplies we go through. The medical side of it's covered, but the supply end is not. The dead least have told themselves we didn't break these children. We're trying to make them better. That's what they're doing one child at a time. Their message is simple. These children aren't a burden. They're miracle babies and deserve to be loved. In Solway, Haley Clotter, Lakeland News. The Dudley family is now 19 members strong and their passion for music is still present. They plan on singing again and even Victoria has gotten on stage and sang with her dad. Kent says it was one of the greatest rewards of his life to share that moment with his daughter.