Families can take multiple forms, and sometimes they’re not the people you grew up with or share DNA with. And sometimes, families form in unexpected ways.
Just take the case of this one detective from Pittsburgh who was well-known for being a tough, no-nonsense kind of guy. He’s strict, he’s fearless, and he has a heart of gold.
Meet Detective Jack Mook.
Detective Jack Mook has been part of the Pittsburgh Police Department for twenty-two years, and he has seen a lot of things not suited for the faint-hearted. Jack is dedicated to his work, and for many years, he was a bachelor. But the single life agreed with him because he had less responsibilities.
That didn’t mean that Jack was a tough act who didn’t care about his community. On the contrary, Detective Mook was a regular sight at a local gym where he volunteers as a boxing instructor. Most of the kids in the training program were children who were abused or in foster homes.
He crossed paths with two brothers: Josh and Jesse.
Jack was able to establish a strong friendship and bond with the brothers, but after they stopped coming to the Steel City Boxing Gym, he became suspicious. He knew the boys were in a foster home and that their living situation was less than ideal. Jack found the 15-year-old Josh and asked him why he and his 11-year-old brother were no longer showing up at the gym.
In an interview with CBS, the teenager revealed their story. He was so overcome with emotion when he said:
“And he was asking me about it and then I just cried.”
It turns out that the boys were left to fend for themselves. According to Jack, their foster parents were neglectful. And Jack could no longer stomach the mistreatment these kids were experiencing everyday. He went above and beyond his duty.
So, Jack got them a new foster family – one he himself didn’t see coming.
As a bachelor then, Jack had to adjust to a life with kids. There was certainly a learning curve that made Jack realize he needed to brush up on his grammar and mathematics. Helping the boys with their homework certainly brought flashbacks of his own high school life.
Speaking with CBS, Jack said:
“I’m in here trying to learn my culinary skills. Yeah, it’s awesome. It’s the best thing I ever did in my life.”
But fostering the two boys didn’t last long. A few years after he became their foster dad, Jake decided to make everything official. On September 16, 2014, he, Josh, and Jessee appeared in court.
The detective made a life changing decision for them all.
Jack and the boys couldn’t have been happier. After they made everything official, Jack couldn’t help saying to the boys:
“You’re a Mook. Alright? You happy? Good. Now you’re going to go home and cut my grass.”
The detective’s sense of humor and kind heart made him go viral on social media. Their story touched so many hearts that Jack started receiving a lot of emails–especially from women who were interested in him. And he did end up with one of his fans, but it wasn’t someone he met through email.
Her name was Mary, and they met at a bar that Jack frequented. They got together and eventually tied the knot. Mary herself had three children. Imagine Jack’s surprise and delight! He started out as a bachelor helping foster kids, and now he was a father to five children.
On the surprising turn his life took, Jack said:
“I thought being single was fun because you don’t have any responsibilities. But when you’re single, you don’t realize what you’re missing. I’m glad I let her [Mary] break through that barrier and take me away from that life.”
Who would’ve thought Jack’s life would turn out this way?
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