Some retirees travel the world. Cora and Stan Krol chose something far bolder: they turned a quiet house into a lifelong refuge for children who needed love the most.
When their own kids flew the nest in 1989, Pueblo, Colorado couple Cora and Stan Krol found the silence unsettling.
“It’s too quiet,” Cora told her husband. Then came the question that would change everything: What about foster care?
Almost immediately, fate nudged back. Cora spotted a newspaper ad seeking help at a local group home for adolescents. More than three decades later, that moment has grown into an extraordinary legacy — over 130 foster children raised in their home across 35 years.
Most of the children were boys. Many came carrying heavy burdens — abuse, neglect, brushes with the law, and struggles in school. But the Krols saw past the pain.
“You take these kids in because you know they’re hurting inside,” Stan said. “And you try to give them the love they need. It’s hard.”
Hard — but deeply rewarding. At one point, the couple cared for as many as 11 children at a time. Just when they thought of slowing down, another child would appear.
“How do you say no?” Cora asked simply.
Their impact has rippled beyond their home. Inspired by her parents, their daughter Tammy Walton also became a foster parent. Now, even the next generation — granddaughter Sloan — lends a helping hand. For the Krols, foster care has truly become a family calling.
And the children never forget.
Stan says former foster kids still call years later — with gratitude, updates, and proof that love leaves lasting footprints.
“They tell me they were in pain back then,” he said, “but now they have good jobs, families — and they want to say thank you.”
Recognizing their remarkable service, the Colorado Department of Human Services honoured the couple for doing “something extraordinary” as ordinary citizens — even into their golden years.
For Cora and Stan, the reason is simple.
“The reason we feel so good is because of what we do,” Cora said.
“You have to have a purpose,” Stan added.
And theirs has been clear — one child at a time.

Source: The Pueblo Chieftain; The Colorado Springs Gazette. Photo courtesy of Colorado Department of Human Services.