DWTS Pro Opens Up About ‘Selfish’ Adoption Decision

“Dancing With the Stars” pro Louis van Amstel opened up about his decision to adopt two older kids in an interview with Tamron Hall that aired in early February 2023.

He explained that he and his husband “love traveling,” so they thought it would make sense to adopt older kids so they can travel together. In addition, van Amstel said the adoption process was “easier” because most people who adopt are looking for babies.

“Actually, we were selfish, we thought, by adopting older kids because it fits with our needs,” he explained.

Van Amstel, 50, and his husband Josh Lancaster got married in 2017. They adopted Daniel, 14, from Colorado, and Jonny, 13, from Nevada, back in 2020, according to People magazine.

Here’s what you need to know:

Louis van Amstel Hopes to Help Curb Fears of Adoption of Kids Who Are Older Ages

In speaking out about he and his husband’s choice to adopt older kids, van Amstel said that he really hopes that people can overcome the fear.

“This is really the message for people that are fearful that maybe an older child might not really feel like your child. It’s a decision. And when we saw the thumbnails of both of our children, we knew. And the letter, we call it another word, but I’ll call it the ‘scare off’ letter, they want to scare you off because they want you to be prepared that you take on everything that comes with the child and that letter only solidified – we want that child,” he said.

Both Daniel and Jonny also appeared on “The Tamron Hall Show” to discuss how the adoption process worked from their perspective. Daniel expressed a desire to have a family and said that he simply moved forward hoping for the “best” outcome — and it all worked out.

The now-brothers actually first met on Zoom and everything moved fairly quickly after that.

“The honeymoon was two weeks. And then reality kicked in. And now they’re real brothers, real brothers. And what is real anyway? This is real. And we met three years ago,” van Amstel said.

Louis van Amstel & His Husband Were Very Respectful of the Process

When Daniel and Jonny first met the van Amstel/Lancaster family, the dads were very mindful of their privacy and the rules they had to follow before the adoption process was complete.

For example, the dads would share photos of the boys on Instagram, but would hide their faces.

“Our child is being adopted from foster care and is currently a ward of the state. Until his adoption is finalized we may not post photos of his identity on social media or otherwise,” van Amstel explained in an Instagram caption in May 2019.

Van Amstel also clapped back at people who asked about “trauma or history.”

“He has lived a harder life than any child should and if someday he himself wants to share that with the world that will be by his terms. This past does not make him ‘broken’ and it does not make him ‘damaged.’ It makes him individually and uniquely beautiful like the rest of us and our scars and one day it is our hope that Louis and I can help him see his struggles as triumphs not as his short comings,” he wrote.

“Life has handed us a beautiful opportunity to complete our family by giving our love to another human who deserves receiving love as much as we want to give it away,” van Amstel added.

READ NEXT: Newest DWTS Pro ‘Cried Multiple Times’ Ahead of Big Weekend