A New York couple with two children of their own followed through on a promise they made to a close friend after she was diagnosed with brain cancer, adopting her four daughters following her death.
When Elizabeth Diamond, an author, life coach and motivational speaker, was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer in August 2014, she went straight to her best friend, Laura Ruffino, with an important question.
"She said, 'If anything ever happens to me, I want you to take my girls,' and I instantly said, 'Okay,' " Laura told ABC News, according to ABC's Arizona affiliate ABC 15.
Diamond lost her battle with brain cancer in April 2015, and Ruffino, along with her husband Rico and two daughters, welcomed Diamond's four children - Lily, Ella, Samona and Tara, ages 5 to 12- into their family, according to FOX News.
"Ten years ago I didn't think this would be my life. But it is, if something gets thrown at you, you just accept the challenge and do the best you can," Rico said, according to WABC-TV.
The family has started a fundraiser to help accommodate for their new additions, and they have plans to convert their garage into two bedrooms.
"When I sit back and I think about it, it's hard to think about," Laura said. "It's even still shocking to me that this is a really big thing. But to us, it's just our life."
