Behind the Pages - The Adventures of Super Liam

His little face filled our newsfeeds every day, collecting hundreds of likes and hearts and smiles from runners and buddies all over the world. Super Liam was our little hero, and we were all cheering for him to overcome the odds and stay here with us just a little while longer.

Misty Merideth and her wife, Laura, understand the power of love in a way that few others can. They're not just foster parents, or adoptive parents - they're the family that terminally ill and medically fragile orphans can call their own. They share their unconditional love with the ones who need it most, for as long as their forever lasts. Because they know love makes a difference.

Liam was born with multiple chromosomal duplications that caused countless physical deficits. The outlook for him was grim, and he would need medical care literally around the clock. From medications and surgeries to a trach and a vent to a g-tube and hearing aids, Liam had many needs. But Misty and Laura knew that more than anything, he needed a family to love him and make each one of his days an adventure fit for a superhero.

I met the Meredith family at Liam's Celebration of Life. There was to be no funeral for this little boy, no silent, somber ceremony. That's not who the Merideths are or how they wanted Liam to be remembered. Instead, friends and family came from all around, dressed in superhero shirts and costumes, to feel the love that Liam had shared. Those who couldn't be there in person were there in spirit, posting their photos on the I Run 4 page where Liam and his family had found even more love and support.

I'd been one of those distant fans, watching Liam's story unfold, until the day when I felt the need to reach out to Misty and share whatever I could (which in my case is almost always words). I sent a message and asked if I could send Liam a book. We had recently published "Natasha and the Christmas Wish," and I knew its message about the strength of a mother's love would be one she would connect with. Her response came almost immediately, and when I learned that she wanted to write a book about Liam, I knew why I'd felt so strongly about contacting her. I knew this story was one that needed to be published. And I knew we could make that happen.

When I arrived at the church, though I'd never met any of the people there before, I was greeted with hugs and introduced all around as the writer who was going to tell Liam's story. In the midst of their sadness, this family made me feel like a superhero myself. That's who the Merideths are - people who celebrate the goodness that really does still exist in the world.

While I nibbled on superhero-themed snacks and talked with other runners and buddies and new friends, I overheard Misty explaining their desire to finalize Liam's adoption before he passed away, so that they could have a say in his care and in the final decisions that would be made for him. The conviction in her voice, the importance of being able to provide for this little boy in his final days when no one else would have, taught me more about the meaning of family than I'd figured out in the past 40-something years on my own. It's about belonging, and accepting, and believing so strongly in the value of a life and a soul that you'll move mountains if that's what it takes just to call that little person one of your own.

And that's exactly what Misty and Laura did. Not just for Liam, but for Noah, and Jazmin, and Piper, and Aurora, and Penelope, and Koda, and for Annie, who was already waiting to welcome her little brother to Heaven. And they weren't done. They would continue to give that same unstoppable love to any child who needed them, regardless of their diagnoses or the amount of care they may require, no matter how long or short their time together might be here on Earth. Because that's just who they are. Misty always knew she wanted to be a mom and take care of children in need, and for Liam and all the little ones like him, I for one am so thankful that she followed her heart and did just that.

Liam's story, like Natasha's, didn't necessarily have the typical happy ending that you'd expect in a children's book. But life is rarely as we expect it to be, and that's another lesson to be learned from Super Liam. Every now and then, when it seems all hope is lost, a good thing comes along to show you the power of love. It may not conquer all, but it certainly gave Liam a happily ever after, where he can fly high and free up above, sending sign language "I love yous" down to the family that will forever cherish and celebrate the memory of their little superhero.