Get to Know the Ketterer’s
Michael and Ivey Ketterer, are Mom and Dad to a set of triplets, a wolf pack, and one golden egg. But parenting wasn’t on their agenda when they got married. In fact, when Michael and Ivey found out they were pregnant, they both cried, because they didn’t feel qualified to be parents.
“Queen Ivey” almost lost her life, giving birth to their oldest daughter, Sofi “The Golden Egg”
Sofi was a miracle baby and doctors warned that Ivey might not survive another pregnancy, so the Ketterer’s made the tough decision to not have any more children, that is until little Sofi started having dreams for nearly two years about three boys in danger.
“Daddy, daddy...we’ve got to save these boys. We’ve got to adopt them,” begged Sofi.
Initially, the Ketterer’s weren’t open to adoption, but over time, Michael then Ivey got on board with the idea.
In 2010 they were approved to be Foster Parents in Tennessee with the intention to adopt. That’s when Cowboy Scott called.
“Now Ivey...I got you 3 wild wolves...and I’m not joking. It is written in the paper work that the police got a call to pick up these feral children in an abandoned trailer with two meth labs and the kids are not civilized.”
— COWBOY SCOTT
THE WOLF PACK
JARED
CHASE
JERIAH
Sofi heard “three boys” and knew in her heart that these were her brothers.
Michael and Ivey agreed, and just like that, Ketterer family of 3, became Ketterer party of 6, right before Christmas.
The wolf pack was even wilder then they could imagine. The Ketterer Family had to retreat to their home for six-months before they could trust the boys in public, teaching them things like...not to pee in the front yard or eat rocks for sustenance.
Eventually, the wolf pack found stability and that’s when the Ketterer’s got the call to take in Rodee-Boy, but Michael and Ivey had no idea what they were getting into.
RODEE-BOY
When Rodee was a baby his care giver shook him and threw him into a wall which fractured his skull, and within 24 hours, Rodee became blind, mute, and diagnosed with abuse induced cerebral palsy.
Rodee’s health issues were so severe, that Michael a licensed nurse, decided to focus on caring for Rodee 24/7, while Ivey focused on the other four children.
The rigorous schedule of taking Rodriguo to therapy appointments 5 hours a day, 5 days a week wore Michael thin. He went to Ivey and said, “We can’t keep doing this. It’s too much. We have to give him back.”
One day, on the drive into therapy, Michael reached his limit and said, “God if you really want me to keep this child. If this really is my son then, I need a sign. “
Michael looked up, and there in front of his car, was a Billboard of a dad running and pushing his son in a wheel chair. It said, “TEAM HOLT. Dad’s been behind him for 65 marathons. Devotion.”
Michael broke down and wept, because God literally gave him a sign. He felt a peace come over him & a new wind in his spirit.
“RODEE IS MY SON. I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS. My Father, whose been behind me and pushed me through so many struggles is with me now in this moment and we can do this together.” - MICHAEL
Today, Rodee can hear, see and talk. He’s very much attached to the Ketterer Family, especially Michael. He eats by mouth every meal, and is taking steps with the help of a walker.
When Rodee’s doctor saw the miraculous transformation in his life, he asked the Ketterer’s if he could read them Rodee’s Neurologist Report from the first day he came into the hospital.
It said, “This child will be a vegetable. He’ll never attach to anyone. You will have to move him side to side. There is NO HOPE for his future.”
All Ivey could say is,
“It’s Jesus who healed him.”
SHAWN Z FOX
“Your life should always
come with hot fudge whipped cream,
and a CHERRY ON TOP - A.D. Posey
At this point, Ivey thought they were done adopting kids, but she had a dream about a little black boy. She woke up in the middle of the night and prayed, “God if this is my son, please bring him to me.”
Within two weeks, Ivey received a text from their case worker that there was a beautiful little boy living in the streets, homeless. Ivey knew this was the boy from her dreams. She felt like God said, “Shawn is your cherry on top.”
Shawn was two years old, the exact same age as King Jeriah and Rodee. Michael and Ivey now had three 2-year old boys in the house... a Mexican, Italian and African American boy now known as the Ketterer Triplets.
“Even if you are completely disabled and broken, you are still my son. I believe that’s really who my Father is. He is not afraid to get down in the dirt with us. Matter of fact, he sent his Son to be just like us to experience all our same issues to see us healed and set free.”
-Michael Ketterer