'I just wanted to change their lives': a bachelor in New York brings up more than 30 children

The story of the incredible New Yorker reminded many of the true meaning of family. When Lamont Thomas's children grew up and began to live separately, it seemed like the end of his parenting path. But the divorced father of two realized that he still had a lot of love to share and took on a child named Michael Perez in 2001, says CBS News.

“He was a good boy and I just didn't want to see him in the orphanage system,” Thomas said. Eventually, he adopted Perez, who is now grown up and works as a nurse.

“I don’t believe that I would be the person I am today, without the morality that he instilled in me, and without the big family that I have now,” Perez said about Thomas.

As it turns out, Perez's story was just the beginning. Over the next 15 years, Thomas took on more than 30 children.

“My goal was to change the life of each of my children for the better,” he said. “I'm proud of them.”

As a result, after retirement, the man refused to adopt small children in order to spend time fishing and traveling. But this did not last long.

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In 2021, he adopted five siblings - all under the age of six. Perez says it was a shock to him. He didn’t expect Thomas to start doing it all over again.

Thomas decided to adopt all five siblings. He learned that they were going to be separated forever and decided that the best way to keep their family together was to make them a part of his.

“I owed them help, - he said. "They deserve to grow together." For all the time Thomas has raised 36 children.

After Thomas's story first aired (this was a few years ago), CBS News received many unexpected emails from women who showed interest in the bachelor. Some were just hinting at their goals, while others were more daring. "Ask Mr. Thomas if he wants a pen pal," one woman wrote, while another said, "I'll marry Lamont!"

But children do not leave room for romance in Thomas's life.

“I was even going to change the number,” he says of those times.

So he remains single. He spent Thanksgiving with his family and is more grateful for it than ever.