Akins and his wife, Lauren Akins, always wanted to grow their family but had trouble conceiving on their own, so they adopted.
In May 2017, a few months after celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary, the two welcomed their new daughter, Willa Gray Akins that the two had adopted from Uganda after a year-long adoption journey, “On the way to the airport, it was like Christmas Day,” the country star told People while his wife added,
It felt like a dream. I’ve dreamed of us all being on the same continent for so long. It finally feels like everyone is where they’re supposed to be.
Lauren had first met Willa in 2016 when she was visiting Uganda with the charity, 147 Million Orphans.
She felt a connection with Willa and felt like her own struggles with conceiving was a sign. Willa’s story was so heart-wrenching that Akins felt connected and attached with the little girl through her own pain and struggle with getting pregnant.
