Newsmaker: Forty Children Call Her Mom

Morning devotionals are a long-standing tradition in the home of Aaron and Bonnie Card, members of the Pleasant Grove Sixth Ward, Pleasant Grove Utah Manila Stake. Over the years, a total of forty children have enjoyed 6:30 A.M. hymns, scripture reading, and family prayers in the Card home. Ten “homemade,” twelve adopted, and eighteen foster children comprise this unusual family, including children from seven different races and children with physical or mental disabilities.

This willingness to welcome a diversity of children into her family is one of the reasons Bonnie was named USA Mom of the Year for 1993. Nobility, keen intellect, and an intuitive nature are some of the positive qualities her children cited as they described their mother. They also mentioned her willingness to listen. One daughter, Robin Campbell, described Bonnie as a good example for her children—always loving, sometimes firm and sometimes fun-loving, but always teaching.

Bonnie, who serves as Relief Society Spiritual Living teacher, has been active in her local PTA and the Utah County Family Living Council, and she is a board member of HOPE of Utah, an organization that helps orphans and parents throughout the world. She has always had the support of her husband as they have worked together to rear their unique family.

Photo by Jed Clark