What does it mean to be fourteen? For most, it’s algebra homework, TikTok trends, and wondering if high school will be terrifying or exciting. For Shariya Small, it was something else entirely delivering triplets at just 26 weeks of pregnancy and sitting alone beside three fragile incubators in a hospital NICU.
Triplets are rare, with fewer than 150 sets born in the United States each year, and being born so early meant each baby weighed under two pounds and faced life-threatening complications. The scene was one of constant alarms, machines breathing for tiny bodies, and a teenage girl watching silently without food, family, or anyone to spell her from the vigil.
It was here, in that sterile room of fragile beginnings, that a nurse named Katrina Mullen noticed the quiet determination of a child raising children. What started as small conversations between a weary nurse and a guarded eighth-grader would grow into something extraordinary an act of compassion that redefined family.
A Bond Built on Shared Experience
Trust wasn’t immediate. At first, Shariya kept her distance, polite but unwilling to share details about her life beyond the NICU walls. For a 14-year-old suddenly thrust into motherhood, silence was a shield against judgment. But Katrina Mullen sensed that behind the guarded demeanor was a teenager overwhelmed by the weight of responsibility.
The breakthrough came when Mullen shared something she didn’t usually talk about with patients: she too had been a teen mom. At 16, she gave birth to a son and later made the painful choice to place him for adoption. In that moment, the roles of nurse and patient’s mother shifted. Shariya no longer felt like the only young parent in the room. “Something shifted after I told her that I was a teen mom,” Mullen recalled, describing how the admission opened a channel of trust.
From then on, their relationship deepened. Mullen taught Shariya practical skills how to feed and swaddle premature infants, how to recognize the subtle cues of babies born too soon. In return, Shariya began to share small pieces of her world, even lighthearted ones, like teaching the nurse about TikTok. What mattered most was that she finally felt understood. “I never judged her,” Mullen said, emphasizing that acceptance, not criticism, made space for growth.
This bond didn’t end when the triplets were discharged. Before leaving the hospital, Mullen gave Shariya her phone number and told her to call if she ever needed help or just someone to talk to. For a teenager who had spent months in near-total isolation, that offer was more than kindness it was a lifeline.
From Hospital to Harsh Reality
Leaving the hospital should have marked the beginning of stability, but for Shariya, it only revealed how fragile her situation truly was. She moved in with relatives in Kokomo, Indiana, but the living arrangement was far from safe or sustainable for three premature infants. With no crib of her own, Shariya often slept on a couch while her babies shared a single playpen. The cramped space lacked the basics needed to care for newborns, let alone triplets with medical vulnerabilities.
The most alarming signs came from Samari, one of the triplets. He struggled to keep food down, lost weight, and developed severe eczema. By the time a doctor intervened, he was diagnosed with “failure to thrive” a red flag that his nutrition and growth had reached dangerous levels. For infants born so early, consistent medical care and specialized feeding support are critical. Without them, even minor setbacks can quickly spiral into emergencies.
During this time, Shariya leaned heavily on Mullen. Phone calls and FaceTime sessions came frequently, often when the young mother was overwhelmed and in tears. Mullen listened, reassured her, and offered practical guidance, but she also grew increasingly worried. On her day off, she drove an hour to visit Shariya’s home and confirmed what she had feared: the conditions were not only inadequate but unsafe. “It was not a place for her to raise babies,” Mullen later recalled.
When Samari was admitted to the hospital for treatment, the Department of Social Services stepped in. The agency concluded that Shariya and her children could not remain in their current environment, and separation through foster care was likely. For most teen mothers, this would have meant losing her children to different foster homes, with little chance of staying together as a family. For Shariya, the thought of being split from her babies was unthinkable and it set the stage for Mullen to make a decision that would alter all of their lives.
Choosing to Foster, Then Adopt
When Child Protective Services informed Mullen that Shariya and her triplets would be removed from their home, the likely outcome was clear: the babies would be placed in separate foster homes, and Shariya would be relocated on her own. Few foster families are equipped or willing to take in a teenager with three medically fragile infants. The idea of separating them devastated Shariya. Her only request was simple: if she had to go anywhere, she wanted to go with Mullen.
The call from the caseworker put the decision in Mullen’s hands. She was already a single mother raising three of her own children at home, with two older sons living independently. Adding four more to her household meant reshaping every aspect of her life, from space to finances to energy. But hesitation was brief. “I just kept thinking, I have to do this,” she said later. She knew that without intervention, the bond between Shariya and her babies could be severed before it had the chance to fully take root.
Mullen wasn’t a certified foster parent at the time, but she threw herself into the process completing the required classes and background checks while simultaneously rearranging her home to accommodate the new arrivals. Friends and relatives stepped in with donations of cribs, strollers, high chairs, and clothing. As Mullen described it, “It was like a baby bomb went off in my living room.”
On April 9, 2021, Shariya and her three children moved into Mullen’s home with little more than a duffle bag. The adjustment was immediate and overwhelming late-night feedings, medical appointments, and the noise of a suddenly much larger household. Yet beneath the exhaustion was relief: the family had remained intact. What began as a temporary foster arrangement stretched into months, and then nearly two years. By February 2023, the relationship had become undeniable. Mullen officially adopted Shariya, becoming not only her mother but also the legal grandmother of Serenitee, Samari, and Sarayah.
For Mullen, the adoption was not about charity but about commitment. “Has it been easy? No,” she admitted. “She pushes limits just like any other teenager, but I love her. I’m her mom and I’m never going anywhere.”
Life in a New Family
Blending two families was anything but simple. Mullen’s home, already full with her three youngest children, suddenly had to absorb a teenager and three infants. The living room became a nursery, filled with cribs, high chairs, and donated baby gear. Days were structured around feedings, doctor visits, and school schedules, while nights often meant little sleep. “It was chaos, but purposeful chaos,” Mullen explained, describing how her home adjusted to the noise and demands of raising eight children under one roof.
At first, Mullen carried much of the weight. She handled midnight feedings, juggled medical appointments, and made sure the triplets’ needs were met while Shariya slowly built her confidence as a parent. Over time, the teenager grew into her role. She learned to manage all three babies at once, to recognize their cues, and to soothe them when the challenges felt relentless. Mullen shifted from being the primary caregiver to being a backup, stepping in when Shariya needed a break or wanted to do normal teenage things like hang out with friends.
Stability also gave Shariya space to focus on herself. She re-enrolled in an alternative high school that provided childcare support and graduated with an A- average. She began attending therapy, learning how to navigate difficult emotions and communicate more effectively. With encouragement from Mullen, she started touring colleges, aiming to study social work so she could support others facing struggles like her own.
The triplets, once fragile preemies born barely two pounds each, began to thrive. They reached developmental milestones counting, learning words in both English and Spanish, and filling the house with toddler energy. They even gave Mullen a nickname, calling her “LaLa,” a reminder that her role had expanded from nurse to mother to grandmother in a matter of years.
Teen Mothers and Support Systems
Image Credits: Website @GoFundMe
Shariya’s journey is extraordinary, but the challenges she faced are far from unique. Each year in the United States, thousands of girls under 18 give birth. According to the CDC, the teen birth rate has dropped by more than 75 percent since the early 1990s, but teens who do become mothers often encounter the same hurdles Shariya did: interrupted education, financial strain, limited healthcare access, and stigma that leaves them isolated rather than supported.
When premature birth is part of the picture, the challenges multiply. Babies born before 28 weeks are among the most medically fragile, at higher risk for chronic lung conditions, developmental delays, and neurological complications. For any parent, this requires frequent medical follow-ups, therapy, and a stable home environment. For a 14-year-old with no consistent support, the odds of managing those demands are stacked against her.
The foster system, designed to protect children in unsafe environments, often struggles to keep young mothers and their babies together. Many foster families simply cannot take in both a teen parent and her children, especially when multiples are involved. This leads to painful separations, where infants are placed in different homes and the mother is left to navigate adulthood without them. Shariya’s story could easily have followed that path if not for Mullen’s intervention.
Supporting Young Mothers in Your Community
Not everyone can open their home to a struggling teenager and three infants, but that doesn’t mean everyday people are powerless to help. What Shariya’s story shows is that support doesn’t have to be dramatic to be life-changing it can start with small, practical acts that let young mothers know they’re not alone.
One of the most valuable ways to help is through mentorship. Teen moms often feel judged or dismissed, and having someone who listens without criticism can be transformative. Offering advice on child care, school options, or just being a steady voice of encouragement can make an enormous difference. Community programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters or local church and nonprofit mentorship groups often welcome volunteers for this kind of role.
Donating time or resources is another meaningful step. Many young parents struggle with basics diapers, formula, baby clothes, or transportation to medical appointments. Something as simple as dropping off supplies at a local shelter or contributing to a diaper bank provides tangible relief. For those with professional skills, volunteering to teach budgeting, nutrition, or even tutoring can help young mothers build long-term stability.
Advocacy also matters. Teen parents often fall through gaps in policy losing access to consistent childcare, mental health services, or educational programs designed for nontraditional students. Supporting local initiatives that expand childcare options in schools, provide access to therapy, or connect mothers with job training ensures the safety net is wider and more effective.
Finally, sometimes the simplest gesture has the greatest impact: withholding judgment. Shariya herself pointed out that what helped her open up was realizing she wasn’t being judged. Choosing to respond with empathy instead of criticism is something anyone can do, and it can change how a young parent sees herself and her possibilities.
The Power of Saying Yes
Shariya’s story could have ended very differently. Without support, she might have lost her children to separate foster homes, her education could have slipped away, and her future narrowed before it began. Instead, one person’s decision to say “yes” altered the course of four lives.
For Katrina Mullen, opening her home was not an act of perfection but of persistence navigating sleepless nights, financial strain, and the challenges of raising a teenager alongside three toddlers. For Shariya, the gift of stability allowed her to grow into motherhood with confidence, complete her education, and envision a future where she can give back as a social worker. Together, they built a family not defined by blood, but by choice and commitment.
The larger message is clear: compassion changes outcomes. You may not be able to foster or adopt, but you can notice the teenager sitting alone, you can offer encouragement, and you can advocate for stronger support systems. Family, in its truest sense, is built on showing up. And sometimes, it begins with the courage to simply say yes.
