Shariya Learns She's Going to be a Mother
In 2020, on a fateful Mother's Day weekend, 14-year-old Shariya learned that she would soon become a mother. Understandably, the young girl was frightened and felt unprepared for such a responsibility.
She later confessed to People magazine, "I thought, 'I don't want to be a mother right now.'" But on August 3rd, her fears multiplied.
Shocking News
On this special day, Shariya, a young woman on the cusp of adulthood herself, experienced a moment that would forever change her life – her first ultrasound. As she sat in the cool, dimly lit room, her gaze fixed on the screen displaying the contours of what was growing inside her, she was astonished to learn that she was not only expecting one child but triplets. The shock of this moment left Shariya speechless, her thoughts racing. She later admitted, "I was speechless. I was panicking, but I didn't have time to panic." This statement clearly reflects the whirlwind of emotions that swept through her young heart.
At just 26 weeks, much earlier than expected, the teenage mother gave birth to her babies on August 30th. This event brought her immense joy but also overwhelming fear. Each of these fragile bundles of life was living proof of the incredible journey Shariya had gone through, and each required a special kind of love and care to survive in a world that had suddenly become much more complex and unpredictable.
Isolation on the Ward
Shariya named her babies Serenitee, Sarayah, and Samari, and they spent their first five months of little lives in the neonatal intensive care unit at Community Hospital North in Indianapolis.
During her time on the unit, Shariya admitted to feeling isolated, telling People, "I felt like I didn't have anything in common with the other moms on the ward." It was during this time that neonatal nurse Katrina first noticed the lonely girl.
Where was her support system?
"She would be alone for days, sitting at her babies' bedside," Katrina recounted to the TODAY show. The experienced nurse began to worry about Shariya's circumstances.
She never seemed to bring lunches from home or snacks to help her through the long hours. She also never had any visitors. All of this led Katrina to believe that the girl likely didn't have much support at home.
Finding Common Ground
Katrina felt a strong urge to help but knew she couldn't push too hard, as Shariya had made it clear that she didn't want to talk about her personal life.
She told TODAY, "I knew if I gave her time, she would probably open up to me." But after keeping her distance for a while, Katrina realized she actually had the perfect icebreaker.
Katrina was also a teenage mother
"I wanted her to know that I was a teenage mother too and knew how scary it is," Katrina revealed to People. She told Shariya that when she was only 16, she had given a baby up for adoption, so she understood the turmoil the girl was experiencing.
The compassionate nurse then said to TODAY, "Something changed after I told her I was a teenage mother. That's when we really started to build trust."
A Connection is Formed
Over the course of the following months, a bond slowly began to form. Katrina would call Shariya regularly during her 12-hour shifts, and eventually, Shariya started leaving her room to seek out Katrina.
Sometimes she would just sit in Katrina's office for hours, confessing to People, "It felt really good to finally have someone to talk to who wasn't on my phone."
Going Home, but Staying in Touch
In January 2021, reality unmistakably entered Shariya's life, a moment filled with both joy and worry. One by one, Shariya's babies were discharged from the hospital ward, and she found herself back in her home, surrounded by all the little lives she now bore responsibility for. But before leaving the comfort and security of the hospital, she and Katrina, the supportive and caring nurse, made an agreement. They agreed to stay in touch, a promise of ongoing support and friendship in a world that seemed full of unknowns and uncertainties. Aware of the challenges that lay ahead for the young mother, Katrina provided Shariya with a sense of security and connection.
As she told TODAY, "I said, 'If you need anything, just call me. If you need to talk or have a question, I'm here.'" These words were not only an offer of help but also a beacon of hope for Shariya, a promise that in the days, weeks, and months to come, she would not be alone as she navigated the challenges of motherhood. It was an invaluable gesture of kindness and humanity that left a deep impression on Shariya's heart and gave her the certainty that she had a place to turn to when the burden seemed too heavy to bear.
Shariya Calls Katrina...often
Soon, the young mother began regularly FaceTiming and messaging with Katrina. She admitted to People, "I was really overwhelmed. I would just call Katrina, and she would calm me down and tell me what to do."
Katrina told TODAY, "I would help her when she was crying and overwhelmed. I couldn't fix it, but I would listen and support her and say, 'You can do this.'"
Katrina feels like the girl's only support
Being a newborn with triplets is demanding for anyone, let alone a 15-year-old child, and Shariya's obvious struggles only heightened Katrina's concerns about her support system.
It was hard for her to believe that the girl had no family or friends to rely on, but Shariya had never fully opened up about her personal life, so she didn't know for sure. Katrina confessed, "I felt like I was her only support."
The odds were against Shariya
Indeed, having once been a teenage mother herself, Katrina was acutely aware that the odds were against Shariya. For instance, the World Health Organization states that "adolescent mothers aged 10–19 years face higher risks of eclampsia, puerperal endometritis, and systemic infections than women aged 20–24 years."
Furthermore, "babies born to adolescent mothers have higher risks of low birth weight, preterm birth, and severe neonatal conditions."
Concerning statistics
On top of that, 51 percent of teenage mothers do not complete high school and therefore do not have a diploma. This directly leads to teenage mothers being unlikely to attend college; unfortunately, less than 2 percent manage to obtain a degree before turning 30.
This means that their economic prospects are severely limited. Additionally, teenage mothers also face a high degree of social stigma and judgment in their communities.
A Visit to Shariya's Home
That's why Katrina knew Shariya needed her. So, a few months after Shariya left the hospital, Katrina visited her in Kokomo, Indiana, and things seemed to be going well. Shariya appeared to be handling the demands of motherhood.
But a few weeks later, Katrina visited again because Shariya had revealed in a FaceTime conversation that Samari was suffering from severe eczema. This time, Shariya gave Katrina a different address, and she got a much better sense of the girl's true situation.
"No Place to Raise Babies"
At that time, Shariya was living with her aunt and sleeping on the couch, while her three babies didn't have cribs—they simply spent their nights in a playpen. Katrina was shocked and told TODAY, "It was no place to raise babies."
But even worse was Samari's condition—the toddler had lost weight, was almost bald, his eczema was out of control, and he had scratches on his skin.
Samari Needs to Go to the Hospital
The overwhelmed teenager explained that her doctor had switched Samari's formula as he had been experiencing digestive issues since birth, but it seemed to have made things worse. Katrina told People, "I said, 'You need to take him to the doctor today.
He's not doing well.'" There was only one problem—if Shariya took Samari to the hospital, there would be no one to take care of Serenitee and Sarayah. Luckily, Katrina stepped in.
Child Protective Services Steps In
With the girls safely with Katrina, Shariya hastily took Samari to a local medical center. Heartbreakingly, she was informed that her boy was "failing to thrive." This clinical diagnosis meant that he had lost too much weight due to poor nutrition.
This meant that Child Protective Services had to get involved to investigate, and the decision was made to place Shariya and her babies in foster care.
A Startling Question Is Asked
Soon, Katrina was contacted by the social worker since two of the babies were in her care. She told TODAY, "The caseworker said that Shariya and her babies were going to be removed from her home."
Stunned by this news, Katrina then heard the words, "Shariya said she wants to live with you. Would you be willing?" Understandably, she was perplexed and began going through scenarios in her head.
Finding a foster home would be nearly impossible
"I was speechless," Katrina confessed to People. "My mind was racing. I was thinking about how difficult it would be for her to find a foster home where all four could stay together."
She added on TODAY, "No one would take in a teenage mother and her premature triplets." In the end, Katrina knew what she had to do, even if it was incredibly daunting.
Katrina Knew What She Needed to Do
The heroic nurse revealed, "I just thought, 'I have to do this.' I knew Shariya was smart and resilient, and she just needed a safe place to put down her roots. I knew it would be hard, but we would figure it out."
An emotional Shariya told People how much Katrina's help meant to her, saying, "She was willing to help me when no one else was."
Katrina strives to become a foster mother
However, it wasn't as simple as Katrina immediately taking Shariya in—she wasn't a certified foster parent! She quickly did everything she could, starting by completing the required certification courses in just two days.
She also encouraged friends and family to donate as much baby stuff—strollers, cribs, toys, clothes—as possible. She laughed, "It was like a baby bomb exploding in my living room!"
Everything changes in 668 days
Over the next 668 days, filled with countless moments of learning, love, and growth, Katrina took on the care of Shariya and her babies. Each day brought new challenges and, at the same time, new opportunities to grow and learn, both for Shariya and Katrina. This time was not just a transformative experience for Shariya, who gradually evolved from an anxious, overwhelmed child to a confident, loving, and fully capable mother, but also for Katrina, who had the opportunity to witness and support this transformation up close.
Katrina, whose heart was filled with deep love and unwavering commitment to the well-being of Shariya and her children, watched with pride and joy as Shariya embraced her new role and learned to embrace the responsibilities and joys of motherhood. She was overjoyed and shared her happiness and pride with the world as she described to TODAY in touching words how Shariya made progress every day and became more and more confident in her role as a mother. It was a moving and fulfilling process to witness this growth and development, and Katrina felt deep gratitude and satisfaction for being a part of this journey.
Shariya takes the lead
Katrina revealed, "In the beginning, I practically did everything for the babies and she watched and participated when she felt safe. And now, she's in charge. I'm here to support her when she wants to hang out with her friends and do teenager stuff."
But I'm just her support." She smiled to People, "The most beautiful thing for me is being a grandma. That's my favorite part. They bring me so much joy."
Overcoming adversity
In addition to her remarkable progress as a mother, Shariya also engaged in therapy to give herself the best chance of dealing with whatever life threw at her. She also attended an alternative school.
Encouragingly, despite the concerning statistics that Katrina knew all too well, she graduated in June 2023 with an A average! She now sees her future at Marian University, where she wants to study social work.
A future in social work
Interestingly, Shariya's motivation for studying social work is as admirable as her efforts to improve her skills as a mother. She wants to be someone who can offer advice to other young girls in her situation—essentially, she wants to be like Katrina.
She told People, "I want to help other teenage moms because I wanted someone like her in my corner too. I think I would be a great help."
Making the Connection Official
The bond between foster mother and daughter became unbreakable in February 2023 when Katrina officially adopted Shariya. She told TODAY, "I am so proud to be Shariya's mom. She amazes me every day."
Katrina continued, "When she gets frustrated with the babies, she never raises her voice. She just develops into this incredible woman." To her delight, Katrina can now officially be known as the babies' grandma or "LaLa," as they call her!
"It's simply the best"
Some might say that living with a young mother and her three babies, along with her own five children, three of whom still live at home, would be a recipe for disaster. However, Katrina gushed to People, "They make me smile and laugh so much every day."
She continued, "When I'm stressed or in a bad mood... I just sit with them, or one of them comes running up to me saying, 'Do you need a hug?' I mean, it's just the best."
Shariya finally has the maternal support she needed
That doesn't mean everything always runs smoothly in Katrina and Shariya's household or that there won't be trials and tribulations in the future. Katrina told TODAY, "Was it easy? No! She tests boundaries just like any other teenager."
However, what's important is that Shariya now knows she is loved and that Katrina will be there for her. As she expressed, "I'm her mom—and I'm never leaving."
Daily childcare is a team effort
Shariya's school arranged childcare for Serenitee and Sarayah while she attended school, easing the burden at home. But Katrina still had to rearrange her foster care schedule to take care of Samari, as his health issues persisted.
The little fighter requires more daily care than most children, including physical therapy and occupational therapy, and is fed through a feeding tube. Fortunately, his sisters will be attending regular kindergarten in the fall of 2023.
Full circle
Overall, Katrina told People, "My life has come full circle." The teenage mother who relinquished her first child became the hero who expanded her family by legally adopting a needy teenager, and in the process became the grandmother of three beautiful babies!
It has certainly made her life more complicated, but in the best possible way. As she told People, "Every day is different, and every day we love each other through it all, and we figure it out."
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