On Father’s Day, in a now-viral video, a 17-year-old from Suffolk, Virginia, named Keon Wiggins-Saunders held back tears as he shakily read his letter to Donzell Powell, the man who stepped up as Keon’s father since he was 1 and married his mother, Keona, when he was 3.

I want to do it and felt like Father’s Day was the perfect time,” Wiggins-Saunders added.

Although Wiggins-Saunders had a semblance of a relationship with his biological father, the teenager said in an interview with the Whole Brother Mission YouTube channel that it wasn’t enough.

As they begin their new journey overwhelmed with support, Powell, who has admitted that it is not clear how the family will proceed with his stepson’s adoption request, is honored to be an inspiration to other fathers and sons not connected by blood, telling Whole Brother Mission a “connection through humanity,” is what’s important, especially in today’s times.

“Being that he did have a natural father, I always advocated to Keon, no matter what, that’s your father so you need to make sure you have respect for him regardless of the circumstance,” Powell told Whole Brother Mission.