Orlando family adopts not one, not two, not three…but nine neglected Russian siblings – “social orphans”

The Zorcs stepped forward to adopt the children. Frank Zorc, himself the second oldest of nine children, felt strongly about keeping the siblings together. The couple made three trips to Russia to answer questions from officials and attend a court hearing before the adoption was completed.

But that all seems like a million years ago to watch the family today. On a recent Friday evening the Zorcs’ home is a hive of chattering children being called in for dinner. They come from several directions – outside playing basketball, upstairs working on a scrapbook, in the back of the house watching “Pokemon” on TV.

The children find places around an 8-foot yellow laminate dinner table with a 4-foot red Lazy Susan in the middle. Frank Zorc designed the table so the kids could know that seconds are allowed. He said they’ve gained weight since.

“OK, who are we missing?” Zorc said. The table is loaded with aluminum pans of fish sticks, corn, peas and french fries brought over by a group from the family’s church, Holy Family Catholic.