>> reporter: the sibling group of seven were separated and continuously uprooted around the system for three years. dawson, the eldest of the clan, lived with his biological parents the longest. this is "nightline." >> you'd always worry about >> tonight, dorian's food. wondering what would happen when destruction. >> oh, my god. you got home. i'm just glad it's over. >> the utter devastation. i mean, then i probably was >> everyone, please pray for us. like -- i was upset a lot. please. >> the hurricane battering the i would go to sleep praying that bahamas as a monster category 5, like stuff would change. >> now that you're living here, with over 220-mile-an-hour do you feel like your prayers were answered? >> yes. winds. >> swim! swim! >> when i first got into foster >> now care is the first time i've ever slept in a bed. >> you slept on piles of rescue those tra nghere t clothes? >> or on the floor. >> or in the closet. ing . plus, forever family. these empty nesters redefining >> what's the difference like, what it means to raise a full before and after? >> way better. >> we have someone to love us and take care of us. house. adopting nine foster kids. >> how long before you called now a family of 15. mom and dad mom and dad? >> second week we were here. >> how long before you called mom and dad mom and dad? >> that's not true. it was like the second day. >> second week we were here. >> why was it so easy to call them mom and dad? >> that's not true. >> because they felt like an it was like the second day. actual mom and dad and they were

>> "nightline" will be right back. caring and lovable. >> so when did you first allow yourself to dream of being adopted by the hawthorns? >> probably about a year after being in foster care. when my sisters told me about them and told me how nice they were and i saw them at visits. and i just really wanted to be adopted by them ever since then. >> reporter: it would take this group six months and require the help of their state senator for the hawthorns to make it official to become a forever family. >> so you're the hawthorn 15? >> hawthorn -- yeah. hawthorn 15. >> reporter: micah is terri and mike's youngest biological child, now 21. >> i remember the day so clearly. we came and sat down at our kitchen table and they were just like, you know, this is a really big commitment and it's a big commitment for our age. it's a big commitment for this many children. and it's an even bigger commitment with their behavior issues. >> reporter: an aspiring actress, micah was then weeks

shy of moving to hollywood. and we are well past wethe honeymoon phase. >> i knew right then what i was going to do, and i think the oooh lufa. ocupado tom. reason why is because in that at&t, what's this i hear about you industry it's not a guarantee. advertising a 100% fiber network? it's not a for sure that i'll only like a fraction of my customers can get that. make it. >> cute, yeah? >> reporter: but what was a guarantee was knowing that i that's it?!? could stay home and give nine you have such a glass half-empty attitude. the glass is more than half-empty! kids a mom and dad, help them be you need to relax tom. oww! together and have a family that tom, you need a little tom time. a little tt. loves them. >> was that a tough sacrifice stop living with at&t. for her do you ink? ihi it was xfinity delivers gig speeds to more homes than anyone. sacrifice. >> pineapple, green apple -- >> i couldn't do without her. it's amazing. i mean, the children just adore her. she's just genuine. i'm very blessed. she's wonderful. >> reporter: while the older children are at school, micah ♪ tends to the toddlers. good evening. thanks for joining us. both have extensive tonight, wide-scale mandatory developmental delays. >> that's his tummy. a week. evacuations in place along the southeastern coast of the u.s. as millions of americans brace but even with all the kids occupied there is no down time for hurricane dorian. the storm churning dangerously for terri. ig we're having pizza.e grocery off the florida coast, first shredding through the bahamas,

parts of the low-lying islands it will take at least four cans. >> looking for the best bargain now underwater, as frienghtenin i can find. >> i save every penny i can. toward clothes or something. new images from the storm zone >> reporter: back home their emerge. >> please pray for us. attention to every cent is on please pray for us, everyone. display. >> the laundry room is very please pray for us. >> reporter: this is what it's small. we just bought a new washer and hurre.o endure a category 5 dryer. >> but it's so organized. look, like, dark, pink, towels. dorian, the most powerful storm ever in recorded history to hit how many lods of laundry do you the bahamas, making landfall do? >> at least three a day. >> three a day. >> this is the kitchen. sunday with wind gusts over 220 it's very small for this many people. miles an hour. >> you can see what it's doing >> but it works. >> but it works. here. that's right. and off in the distance those this is -- actually, the pantry waves crashing against the pier. and catchall. >> reporter: the winds so strong it's very small. too dangerous for abc's marcus >> this is very good. moore and his team to stay i love how you organized -- everything is sort of labeled. >> that saves me from having to outside. >> look at that. do 20 cups between now and those are the wind gusts that we lunchtime. i have to wash all my dishes by have seen and that officials hand because our dishwasher does have warned about. not work. this is absolutely a mind-blowing event that is for the last 15 years i just use unfolding right now. >> reporter: the monster storm a strainer. >> the kids took us to one of inching along at times at just the group homes where they used one mile an hour. to live. battering the islands for about >> i was in the back house

24 hours straight. behind that building. >> i don't know how well you can >> reporter: a far cry from see it but i want you to listen where they are now. >> how do you say thank you to someone who's shown their love to the wind and the howl of the for you like that? >> show them respect and love wind as it goes by. we've seen large pieces of and providing -- >> you show respect for them and debris flying in the other you love them. >> have you ever told them than direction. all right. and looks like we just lost power. >> reporter: the furious rain and intense storm surge flooding what do you say to them? >> normally i say thank you and my mom will be like for what? streets. >> after the eye of the storm i'll be like just taking care of arrived here, you saw this torrent of water rushing inland. and forrything andhel be like oh, well, you're very much and it was just an incredible thing. welcome. >> that sounds like your mom. >> reporter: as the waters >> what do you say to people who rose -- >> this is very deep water. say to you what are you, crazy? >> reporter: -- residents became trapped inside their own homes. >> water's everywhere. or does no one say that? everything is just in ruins. >> they say that all the time and we laugh and say yeah. >> reporter: one mother pleading i mean, we were told we're for prayers live on facebook. absolutely crazy. >> everyone, please pray for us. >> reporter: for "nightline" i'm please. juju chang in hot springs, please, my baby's only four months old. please pray for us. arkansas. up next, one woman, 97 dogs. people trying to make it to the other side. weathering the record-breaking storm in the bahamas together. for some people the water just took them. >> reporter: the roof ripped off ♪upbeat musieverything was so fresh in the beginning. her apartment building. [sniff] ♪ dramatic music♪ but that plug quickly faded.

soon sheltering again with other ♪upbeat music luckily there's febreze plug. families. >> i just don't know a safe it cleans away odors and freshens for 1200 hours. place we could be right now. >> swim! [deep inhale] swim! >> reporter: our team witnessed people practically swepteporut n time. >> we've got to move. >> reporter: on abaco islands, breathe ji raj, an.. y! one of the hardest-hit areas. >> it's very dangerous. with clinically proven ingredients that fuel five >> reporter: bahamian parliament member aram lewis sending abc indicators of brain performance. neuriva. news this video. >> we're getting a lot of distress calls, people needing when crabe stronger...strong, rescue. with new nicorette coated ice mint. >> reporter: he's on high ground layered with flavor... away from the storm wo young ch it's the first and only coated nicotine lozenge. and mother inside their home. for an amazing taste... ...that outlasts your craving. new nicorette ice mint. and in freeport, grand bahama, ♪ work so hard ♪ give it everything you got ♪ strength of a lioness private citizens springing into ♪ tough as a knot action, like ezra king, who came ♪ rocking the stage ♪ and we never gonna stop to the rescue with his ♪ all strength, no sweat. ♪ just in case you forgot caterpillar tractor. ♪ all strength. >> listen for the horn. >> reporter: plucking people from their flooded homes and ♪ no sweat secret. all strength. no sweat. transporting them to shelters. throughout the abacos an

apocalyptic scene. homes reduced to piles of debris. boatsnd cars ltere ta here is breathtaking. you can see that building behind me. it has collapsed. and look at this yacht, on the ground resting up against this stop struggling to clean tough messes with sprays. try clean freak! condo. >> reporter: the violent winds it has three times the cleaning power ripped off roofs, toppling to dissolve kitchen grease on contact. trees, and of course taking power and cell service down. it works great on bathtubs. so far at least five people have and even stainless steel. been killed with the hurricane. try clean freak from mr. clean. the stalled churning of dorian visible from outer space. as the eyewall now heads towards the southeastern coast of the united states. our team spread out across the storm zone. abc news's ginger zee is in jupiter beach, florida. >> do you see right here the people behind me surfing. certainly the calm before the big part of the storm. they are taking advantage. a lot of folks just taking a look at what's happening. but this type of pier, this type of jetty, will be covered with water. there will be huge waves. we're going to have significant

surge, even possible with this thing staying some 80-plus miles away. >> reporter: rob marciano is in melbourne beach, florida. >> on the other side, the east side of these barrier islands, you've got this. big beach, big ocean, and big waves. you get a bigger surge. but we also have these big sand dunes that line this coastline, sometimes 15, 20 feet high. so they protect for the most part the thousands of homes that line these barrier islands. >> reporter: the eye of the storm still miles away, but storm surge warnings already up for much of florida's east coast. >> here you have two rivers that come together that separate the mainland from cape canaveral. and this causeway is the connection, part of which will be underwater. which is why it will be one of many that will be shut down during the heart of the storm. >> reporter: more than 2 million people have been ordered to evacuate from florida all the way to north carolina's outer banks. the message from authorities is clear. >> if the roads get flooded, there's no way out. if you think you're going to having to evacuate, i'd start

going. >> reporter: gio benitez is in new smyrna beach, florida. >> we've now made it more inland. but just take a look. even here business after business is just boarded up. has been excellent. people are listening to those they really appreciate the military family warnings. and it really shows. it's a ghost town here. with all that usaa offers >> reporter: some are still why go with anybody else? boarding up. along the way we met lenny we know their rates are good, glover, who's not planning to we know that they're always going to take care of us. evacuate just yet. it was an instant savings and i should have changed a long time ago. so right now you're just it was funny because when we would call another insurance company, watching and wathiting? hey would say "oh we can't beat usaa" >> like everybody else in we're the webber family. volusia county. we're the tenney's >> reporter: but many have left we're the hayles, and we're usaa members for life. their homes and businesses behind. >> mandatory evacuation is now ♪ get your usaa auto insurance quote today. in place. please collect your belongings, vacate and seek shelter. >> reporter: in boynton beach,os of nursing homes being moved inland. everyone bracing for what's to come. >> and joining us now is meteorologist greg dutra from our abc powerhouse affiliate wls in chicago. we're seeing tons of scenes of devastation. some of that's because it's come

to this menacing standstill which you say you've never seen before. >> i have ever seen a system stay stationary this long, zero miles per hour. update after update after update. overt island of grand bahama. unfortunately for that island i think it's going to be a place that never looks the same again. highest point is 40 feet above sea level. the storm surge has been 235 to 30 feet. >> you say it's rudderless because of the high pressure system. >> we talk about steering currents. the steering currents help move the storm. the high to the east broke down and since it broke down there's nothing to steer this. the good news is through the nextil falt a me it take thf leasttance and it does that as a trough kind of kixz it up the eastern seaboard and that is where we'll start seeing forward momentum. >> and we've been watching this track for the past few days and even though it might not make traditional landfall they're still not out of the woods yet. >> no, we are not out of the woods yet. not only is it the track that it's taking. there will still be high winds all the way inland. we'll see at least tropical one woman in the bahamas opening storm force winds but it's the her heart and her home in nassau rainfall too and that's the major killer with hurricanes. to 97 abandoned dogs.

it's the rainfall. it's the most dangerous part. and the storm surge too. anywhere from half a foot of chella phillips telling abc news rain all the way up to a foot of rain through north carolina and she wanted the pups to have safe the storm surge, four to seven shelter as hurricane dorian feet. slammed the country. charleston has flooding problems the furry friends all getting along just fine. with really severe a majority of them riding out thunderstorms. this is a storm surge that's the hurricane in her master about half of their level above sea level. >> and you were telling me about bedroom. phillips saying she doesn't care the danger of a wobble. about the constant cleaning. >> yes. as long as they're all safe. if this does wobble a little bit more to the east, which is what we're tracking very closely, if our hearts go out to phillips it does happen to do that, then and everyone in the path of the we could see these numbers go up hurricane. and that could be a very bad stay safe. scenario. be sure to tune in to "gma" so people cannot let their guards down yet. >> greg dutra thank you for the tomorrow for the very latest on forecast and thank you for your hurricane dorian. that's "nightline" for tonight. insights. and you can watch our full and up next, the family episodes on hulu anytime. adapting to life after adopting good night, america. nine foster children. redefining what it means to raise a full house. oh! oh! oh! ♪ ozempic®! ♪ (announcer) people with type 2 diabetes are excited about the potential of once-weekly ozempic®. in a study with ozempic®, a majority of adults lowered their blood sugar and reached an a1c of less than 7 and maintained it. oh! under 7? (announcer) and you may lose weight. in the same one-year study, adults lost on average up to 12 pounds.

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one arkansas nine children whose lives changed forever after they became foster children. the hawthorns could be enjoying the quiet life of empty nesters. but that would be too easy. >> hi, girls. get up. rise and shine. >> the 6:40 a.m. in rural arkansas. >> it's time to get up for school, baby. >> reporter: and here in this tight, makeshift five-bedroom home live enough kids to fill a baseball team. >> dawson. >> kyndal. >> lacey. >> layna, arria. >> addiley. >> korgen. >> and haizlee. fi otanivgogetr dlers as foster children. terri and mike hawthorn took

them all in. high school sweethearts married 36 years. they'd already raised four adult biological kids. giving new meaning to the phrase "big happy family." while the man of the house, 57-year-old mike, earns a living landscaping, it's 54-year-old terri whose full-time job is to care for this cheextended brood. >> we searched all over the house for that yesterday. >> why did you end up with this gigantic family? >> we started fostering, and we went through about 80 children through the process. and when we got korgen we found out he had a little sister that was born. and they try to keep sibling groups together. and then we found a larger sibling group we thought when we first started fostering them there was only three. then we found out there was five. and then there was number six. and it just kept going from there. ho yo mak roothat many childre? >> that's just something the good lord does. i really don't know how else.

>> reporter: life has been far from easy for these kids, but in some ways they're childn nationwide were in foster care in