‘A beautiful example of what love can do:’ Apollo Beach couple who adopted 6 siblings celebrated in D.C.

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — News Channel 8 first introduced you to the Johnsons in May after they went from a family of two to eight.

Dustin and Daniel Johnson adopted six children, ages 3 to 11, so they could live together after they were removed from their home by the state and separated.

Now the siblings are all living together under one roof.

The family spoke to WFLA this week after they returned from Washington D.C., where they attended a Pride Month event at the White House.

“Thankfully, WFLA did a wonderful story that profiled this beautiful family,” said Rep. Kathy Castor.

Castor said after seeing the story, she learned the Johnsons would be in D.C., so she gave them a tour!

“We saw Congress and the White House,” said 10-year-old Amiyah Johnson.

“I was called a historian master,” said 11-year-old Reid Johnson.

“The White House was having their Pride event. Families like ours are new and are just gaining a lot of rights and that was super important for our visibility,” said Dustin Johnson.

The state had removed the siblings from their home and and they were separated, bouncing between homes in the foster care system until Dustin and Daniel Johnson adopted them on May 12, 2023.

“We have a foster care problem in the state of Florida in the Tampa Bay area, and how important it is to keep six siblings together released so it was the least I could do to welcome them with open arms in my office in Washington,” said Castor.

The Johnson family attended the Pride event at the White House on behalf of Family Equality.

“We took a tour of the capital and took them to the floor of the House of Representatives and I said ok what laws do you want to offer?” Castor recalled.

The kids said they wanted to convert all fountains to chocolate fountains and they also wanted to put an end to smoking.

“It was one of my most special days ever in Washington D.C. to see the love and devotion of this family,” said Castor.

Since being under one roof once again, the kids are growing and thriving.

“There’s a lot of advocacy groups fighting for larger sibling groups to stay together,” said Dustin. “We live in a system where it’s easier to separate them in place one or two in the house at a time.”

“The Johnson family is a beautiful example of what love can do,” said Castor. “When they say love wins, I think that’s exactly what they mean.”