A month after his son’s birth, a man’s wife left him, forcing him to raise the baby alone. At first, the man struggled in his new role as a single parent but soon got the hang of it. Little did he know that the boy was not his biological son and that he would soon have to give him up.

Dominique Hermann, from New Jersey, was delighted to welcome his son, Sa’kye Dominique, on January 22, 2019. The baby was his third child, but Hermann was as happy as a first-time father.

However, a month after his child’s birth, something unexpected turned Hermann’s life upside down. His child’s mother left and never returned.

The Single Father

After the baby’s mother suddenly abandoned him, Hermann had no option except to raise his child as a single parent. Despite not knowing how to care for a baby, he was up to the task.

The father revealed that he had hired a babysitter who didn’t charge him any money. Meanwhile, his family supported him in raising the child, and Hermann soon got the hang of it. He recalled that his parents started helping him when Dominique turned four months old.

The single father dreamt about his baby’s future while wondering why fate put him in such a challenging situation. At that point, he had no idea that his baby wouldn’t stay with him forever.

An Unexpected Discovery
Hermann became a father for the third time after he turned 40, and he confessed that having a baby was not on his list of goals. However, he tried his best to become the best father to his baby, unaware that life would soon put him in a challenging situation.

Feeling helpless, Hermann agreed to give up Dominique to his biological family.
After raising his baby for nine months, Hermann suddenly learned he was not Dominique’s biological father. and he was forced to give away his 10-month-old boy to another family he had no idea about.

Returning His Baby
When Hermann learned Domninique’s biological father wanted him back, he felt heartbroken. A court order forced him to prepare for his baby’s farewell―something he had never imagined would happen.

Hermann regularly posted updates about his baby on his Instagram account (@chefdomcreates). In a heartfelt post, the father wrote that he had to return Dominique to his biological father “like a rented toy.” He added:

“I do hope he’s in God’s hands and will forever be my son.”

A Heartbreaking Moment
Feeling helpless, Hermann agreed to give up Dominique to his biological family. It wasn’t easy for him, but he had to obey the court’s orders because he understood what the birth father must be going through, saying:

“If I were his dad, I would want him back too.”

After talking to Dominique’s biological family, Hermann said he couldn’t blame them for anything. Instead, he sympathized with them though he wanted to keep the baby with him forever.

It Was Hard
Hermann had been looking forward to celebrating his baby’s first Thanksgiving, Christmas, and birthday, so he felt really sad when on November 22, 2019, Dominique’s biological father took him, taking away a piece of his heart in the process.

“I know your new Dad and family are going to learn to love you like my family and me,” the devastated father wrote after. While he felt heartbroken, he prayed that his baby would get the best of everything.

After saying goodbye to little Dominique, Hermann had difficulty adjusting to his new life. The baby’s absence had left a void that no one else could fill. He had developed a close bond with his son for 10 months, and he didn’t know how to live without him. The father missed his baby terribly.

Another Surprise
Hermann had been living the most challenging two months of his life since Dominique left when an incredible opportunity knocked on his door. It was Dominique’s biological father inviting Hermann and his family to see the little boy.

Hermann shared a heartwarming photo of the little boy resting on his chest while sleeping when they reunited after two months. Hermann was immensely grateful to Dominique’s biological father because he never thought he would see his boy again.

Since that day, Hermann regularly posted photos and videos of his boy on Instagram, telling the world how much he missed him. A year after Dominique’s birth father took him away, Hermann posted a video of that day and said he had eventually accepted God’s plans.

It was tough for Hermann to live without Dominique, but he learned how to do it. His story shows how unpredictable life is, and how despite going through the worst, he didn’t give up.

Click here to read another heartbreaking story about a single father who has to sell pens on the street in hot weather to feed his daughter.