A Story of Love, Sacrifice, and Selfless Commitment

With a heart for helping people, Cyndy and Tommy Rider chose a career path to do exactly that…help people. Cyndy is a Paramedic and Tommy is a Registered Nurse. After working in the field, both now teach these important professions to others going into these lifesaving careers. It should not be a surprise that the couple decided to become foster parents to help children who have been neglected and don’t have a loving and caring home. Part of this decision was encouraged by some friends who had adopted three children. In 2018, they started the process to become foster parents by attending classes in Hope, Arkansas sponsored by The Call. 

Cyndy and Tommy began their foster care journey with Tatum in October of 2019 who was 5 months old and is now 4. Anna Marie was their next precious foster child who came in June 2020 and was 7 weeks old and is now 3. Ellie and Blake followed shortly after that in the first part of July 2020 and were 3 and 4 years old and are now 6 and 7. MacKenzie came into their care in May of 2021 and was 3 days old and she is now 2. All five children are siblings from the same broken home. 

After months of court hearings, home studies and home inspections, adoption of all five children became official on August 17, 2022. Cyndy and Tommy sacrificed a life of quiet nights for one full of hustle and bustle but most of all blessings. As Cyndy says, God has had His hand in the middle of this journey since the beginning. She claims God’s blessings and sufficient resources will see them through this labor of love. 

As Jesus taught us by washing his disciples’ feet, we are called to serve others in humility and love. Cyndy and Tommy certainly live out this example of servanthood. This family confronts another challenge and one they would rather not have to face. Two of the children have been diagnosed with Sagittal Craniosynostosis and are scheduled for brain surgery at Children’s Hospital in Little Rock. Tatum will have surgery 11-29-23 and Anna Marie will have surgery on 12-1-23. Tommy will need to take a leave from work to care for the children because they will not be able to have much interaction for an extended period. That is the reason for them to undergo surgery at the same time. It is suspected that MacKenzie and Ellie may have this as well and will be tested at a later date. Please join in as we help bridge the gap during this critical period of recuperation of Tatum and Anna Marie.