GILBERT, AZ (CBS5) -
Kaitlin Maher is a teacher who gets put to the test every single day.
Her students at Highland Park Elementary in Gilbert are all severely disabled.
"I have six students. All of them are in diapers, a couple of them are tube fed, it's physically grueling at school so when I get home I'm just ready to relax," said Maher.
But unwinding after a long day is a lot harder than it used to be for Maher.
Waiting at home is 6-year-old Ethan, who is also severely disabled. Ethan used to be one of Maher's students.
One day a few months ago, Ethan's mom said she couldn't do it anymore.
Maher, only 23, agreed to be his foster parent.
"I have never seen a teacher do that," said Jason Martin, principal of Highland Park.
"I had to think about it a little bit. I mean, I just got out of college and I'm getting my Masters and living with my mom and dad and I'm young," Maher said.
Despite the occasional thought that she bit off more than she can chew, Maher said she would do it again in a second.
"He's definitely changed my life in such a more positive way than I could have ever expected. I love him," said Maher.
"She's so selfless. When I see her and how she interacts with him it almost makes me feel selfish because I could never put myself in that same situation," said Morgan Demaree, Maher's friend and roommate.
Demaree told CBS 5 that aside from the personal sacrifice, fostering Ethan has been a big financial commitment for Maher as well.
So Demaree nominated Maher for CBS 5's weekly Pay It Forward segment, and we surprised Maher with the $500 in her classroom.
At first, Maher thought she might just be Ethan's temporary foster mom.
But she decided recently she's going to adopt him.
Copyright 2011 KPHO. All rights reserved.
Ethan, Kaitlin Maher
