Vanessa Ray, who portrays Officer Eddie Janko on Blue Bloods, and her real-life spouse Landon Beard have welcomed a newborn boy named Isaac Ray Beard, who was born on November 7. Her decision to begin a family was influenced in part by her work on the police drama.
Ray told People that she and her spouse were uncertain as to whether or not they would have children when that would make the most sense, and other such matters. The actress claims to have been moved during filming. “I was at work one day, honestly I was about to do a family dinner and I just had this overwhelming sensation of family and what I love about our life and all of these things.”
Therefore, while sobbing, the actress dialed her husband’s number and stated, “I believe we ought to be parents” and “I believe we ought to adopt.”
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The magazine continues by stating that one of the first people Ray informed about the decision was her co-star on Blue Bloods, Bridget Moynahan, who recommended that Ray speak with Peter Hermann, who plays Moynahan’s ex-husband Jack Boyle. Hermann and his wife, Mariska Hargitay, had both undergone the adoption process twice.
“Graciously, he held our hand and walked us through everything that we would need to know about adoption,” stated Ray. It’s practically a lot of first dates. It almost seems like it comes with a great deal of heartache.”
The Adoption Process
Since adoption is a difficult procedure, Ray and Beard started by engaging an adoption lawyer and completing the mountains of paperwork that are required. In addition, Ray and her husband put their request on an adoption website, and in less than a week, they were linked with a potential birth mother who gave birth three weeks later. This is in contrast to many adoptions, which might take years for the adoptive parents to be chosen.
Ray didn’t have the nursery ready because everything happened so quickly, but she says her friends helped her get the essentials like a crib, bottles, a sterilizer, and diapers. “Our friends provided us with everything we needed,” Ray said to People. Nothing needed to be purchased. For the first three months, at least, we really didn’t.” Isaac’s mother has accompanied him to the set ever since he was born, right before the strike ended.
“He’s met Will [Estes] and Bridget and Donnie [Wahlberg] and Marisa [Ramirez] and Tom [Selleck], and yeah, he’s met everybody,” says Ray. “He’s already a real part of the family.”