Despite a rocky start in life, Justin Wolf ’25 got a second chance for a normal childhood when he was adopted by Lawrence music professor Ann Ellsworth and her husband, Dave.
When he was just 5 years old, Wolf and his two younger siblings were removed by Child Protective Services from a home environment deemed unsuitable for healthy child development due to abuse and neglect. They were placed in a foster home with an older brother and sister unrelated to them.
“Growing up with five siblings was probably the most consistent and normal-feeling part of my childhood because, even though we aren’t all biologically related, we lived in the same foster home and became a family unit together,” Wolf said.
Ellsworth and her husband initially adopted the unrelated brother and sister from Wolf’s foster home, who soon began advocating for the younger kids, worrying that they were not safe in the foster home, Ellsworth said.
“The older sibling group made such a strong case for adopting Justin and his siblings, we had pretty much decided to do it without even meeting them,” Ellsworth said. “When we saw them all together for the first time, we realized that they all had a very strong attachment to each other.”
Wolf and his siblings were placed with Ellsworth in May 2008, and in November 2009, all five children were adopted at once.
“Reflecting back on it, I believe that the trauma of removal from my biological parents and experiencing abuse and neglect in both my first home and my foster home was the root cause of the emotional and behavioral issues I had as a child,” Wolf said.
Justin and Ann take a selfie together (2015).
Like many children living in or adopted from foster care, Wolf struggled to settle into his new home despite the stability it offered.
“Justin was just turning 9 years old when I met him,” Ellsworth said. “His childhood had been disrupted, and he had an understandable distrust of me and adults in general.” He dealt with his trauma, in part, Ellsworth said, “by testing the limits and boundaries of his new parents.”
The trauma of his early childhood left Wolf with behavioral issues—problems that are, sadly, fairly common with kids in the foster care system.
“My adoptive parents, Ann and Dave, played a huge role in helping me work on myself,” Wolf said. “Having space to just be a kid and explore my creativity helped me improve my behavior and learn how to regulate my emotions better.”
Wolf began to blossom—and believe—in his parents.
“It was hard at first to trust and believe that my new parents actually loved me and had my best interest at heart, so I was often defensive in the beginning,” Wolf said. “But my mom was a relentless advocate for me and never gave up on me even when others might have.”
When Ellsworth moved to Wisconsin for her new position at Lawrence, Wolf followed to be closer to his family.
“I decided to give college another try, and Lawrence was an excellent opportunity for me,” Wolf said. “I just really feel at peace when I am making music.”
Wolf graduated from Lawrence University in 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts in Music. He recently got married and moved to a new city to start a leadership job in retail, which he said he enjoys immensely.
“My adoption gave me a second chance at a normal childhood,” Wolf said. “Being aware of what my life used to be like, what it’s like now, and the alternative route it could have taken has made me extremely grateful for my parents and how the simple act of a parent’s love can completely change your life.”
Reflecting on her hopes for Justin’s future, Ellsworth responded with, “That he will always know he is loved unconditionally.”
