Stepdad has a priceless response when stepson legally changes last name to honor him

Some relationships that are formed through mutual understanding, love and respect for one another are stronger than blood ties. In a blended family, Jake Randle found solace and a lot of fatherly affection in the company of his stepfather Steve Sample, per PEOPLE. So, the man knew he had to do something special to honor Sample on his birthday for all the love and support he had shown his stepchildren throughout the years. A wholesome video capturing the moment was uploaded by Randle's sister Keirrah on her TikTok page, @keauramanifests888. Randle made a thoughtful decision to add his stepfather's last name to his own.

On the other hand, Sample had no biological children and he got emotional upon realizing what Randle had done for him. In the TikTok clip, Randle handed his stepfather a document highlighting his new name with the surname 'Sample' added to it. Sample couldn't hold back his tears and hugged his stepson tightly. “I was at the house, and my mom asked me to go get the mail,” Randle recalled. “I noticed, on the mailbox, it had my last name Randle and it also said Sample. At that moment, I thought, 'Why wasn’t mine the same?' I didn’t know a true, solidified way to thank him for everything that he’s done. I’m sure there are things that he’s done and sacrificed time after time that I don’t know about.”

Randle admitted that they felt like a family even before Sample officially became his dad. “I feel like I have reciprocated enough of the love I give my mom to my father, so I wanted to give him his flowers. I felt like this was my ultimate thank you.” To Sample, the gift from Randle meant the world. “It blows me away. This means a lot to me. I don’t have to have this because the love is there and that’s all I need,” Sample quipped. “But I’m happy I have this. I’m just totally blown away.” “My parents are my parents. I’m not their blood but they’re my parents,” Sample noted, who was an adopted child himself. “Blood doesn’t mean everything because families are the ones you make.”

Sample came into the lives of Randle and his sister Keirrah about two decades ago when he married their mom Sheila. Sheila opened up about how Randle and Sample "hit it off instantly." Even before he got hitched to Sheila, Sample had made sure to support the family without any hesitation. He even offered to help Sheila buy winter clothes for her children at one point. “He’s always been our comfort,” Keirrah mentioned to the news outlet. “He’s been like a good cushion for the longest time, someone we could lean on,” Randle added. “We’ve always had banter and even though he’s not our biological father, he’s very protective of us.”

The comments under Keirrah's TikTok videos hailed Sample as the "father who stepped in" and cheered Randle for his decision to add the Sample surname to his. @saritycuxp4 shared, "I’ve been thinking about doing the same for my stepdad. He’s a great man. He took me and my siblings in when he was just 24-25 and there were 5 of us. He’s worked all his life and made sure we were all good." @sarinasymone remarked, "Every day, I’m crying for strangers on this app." @sellamartinez added, "I truly admire people who can have emotional conversations and not cry. I wouldn’t be able to talk." @ravenhaven777 added, "You healed something in your stepdad."

You can follow Keirrah Randle (@keauramanifests888) on TikTok for more videos on lifestyle.