85-Year-Old Thalia Thornton Of Oceanport, N.J. Reflects On The Hundreds Of Children She Helped Raise As Foster Parent

OCEANPORT, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A Monmouth County woman has been honored for her 50 years of service as a foster mother.

CBS2's Meg Baker has her story of caring for hundreds of children.

Thalia Thornton says she helped raise more than 500 children in her Oceanport home.

"Most of them were special needs, which meant they had to have a lot of work done. Say, for example, one little girl had spin bifida," the 85-year-old said Thursday.

The little girl's name was Mimi.

"She says, 'Granny, why are you looking up there?' I said, 'I'm praying.' ... 'Yes, I'm praying to God that he would give me more patience,' and he did give me more patience," Thornton said.

She said the kids brought her a lot of joy, but sadness, too. Mimi passed away at just 6 years old.

"The first boy we took, 17 months old, he suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome. It was very, very sad. He didn't want me to leave his side. He slept right in the bed with my husband," Thornton said.

Thornton was one of 11 children, so she says she was used to having a full house.

She wasn't sure if she could have children of her own, adding she prayed for 12 years and finally she and her husband had two daughters. She said as a thank you to God, she started fostering and continued after her husband passed.

"I've had a beautiful life, taking car of others people's children," she said. "Some people would say, 'I would never do that,' but somebody had to do it. If you have the right kind of love in your heart, you will stick with it," Thornton said.

Angela Allora was a nurse for medically fragile children and would visit Thornton's home often. She said Thornton would even go to the kids' school events.

"Many times it was psychosocial, and we knew the children were in good hands when they came here," Allora said.

"I remember them all. Sometimes now at my age I wish I had them back. I'm lonely a lot of times," Thornton said.

Many of the children lived with her until they were 21 and aged out of the foster program. Some now live in group homes. Others live nearby and visit her.

Thornton was fostering until just four years ago when colon cancer slowed her down, but she said she enjoys those visits.

CBS2's Meg Baker contributed to this report.