Plainwell student finds stability, love in second adoption

PLAINWELL, Mich. (WOOD) — Most students at Plainwell High School may know Joe Plumley by a different last name.

His changed over the summer when the Plumley family officially adopted him after welcoming him into their home about three years ago.

“This is actually my second time being adopted. The previous adoption, they weren’t really very good people. I feel like they wanted to be, so that’s why they adopted us, but they just weren’t good people,” Joe explained.

As a high school junior, Joe is focused on sprinting faster than ever for track season. A few years ago, he had never set foot in a public school or played sports.

He was homeschooled in his previous adopted family, where he lived for 13 years, and says it wasn’t an adequate education.

“When I had to restart my freshman year, people just thought I was dumb, you know? Like, ‘this guy’s an idiot,’ but in reality, it’s a much larger story behind it,” Joe said. “I didn’t know anything that they were doing (was) bad, because I just thought I was normal, like everybody does this.”

He said the Plumleys came into his life at exactly the right time and looks back on his experience with appreciation.

“It’s really changed my perspective on how I would want my family to operate, because if I had stayed with them, I would have made … the same mistakes, which sounds really, really bad, but it’s just all I knew,” he said.

Along with his new perspective, Joe has new dreams for his future, which include going to culinary school.

“It’s pretty far-fetched, but I really want to do it. But I really want to move to like Greece and become a chef there and cook,” he said.

After what he’s already achieved, no goal seems too far-fetched.

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