Samuel Rodriguez Purnell, 12, had been living in a foster home for the past three years before he was adopted.

The boy was previously in a Port Jefferson Station group home before he joined a Riverhead foster family three years ago as an emergency placement. On Friday, they officially became his own adoptive family.

"We were waiting for this day a very long time," said his adoptive mother, Stephanie Clark, 35, who said she will stay in touch with Samuel's biological mother. "Although it doesn't feel different, deep down we know he’s ours the rest of our lives and it’s a special feeling."

Samuel was one of nine children officially adopted by families Friday and approved by Suffolk County Family Court judges at the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead. Suffolk observed its annual National Ad

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