Steven Curtis Chapman was the best-selling Christian music artist of all time. He and his wife Mary Beth had three biological sons and had adopted three daughters from China. Their family was the picture of faith lived generously. Until 21 May 2008.
The Adoption Story
The Chapmans adopted Shaohannah from China in 2000. Then Emily. Then Maria. Each adoption deepened their conviction that caring for orphans wasn't optional — it was central to the gospel. They founded Show Hope, an organisation dedicated to helping families adopt.
Their home was full. Their faith was visible. Their story was inspiring.
The Day in the Driveway
On 21 May 2008, five-year-old Maria Sue was in the driveway of the family home. Her seventeen-year-old brother Will Franklin was pulling in. He didn't see her. Maria was struck and killed.
A family that had crossed the world to save orphans lost their youngest daughter in their own driveway, at the hands of their own son. The horror of it is almost impossible to process.
The Aftermath
Will was shattered by guilt. Steven and Mary Beth were consumed by grief. The public nature of their family meant the pain played out in front of millions. Many families would have broken apart. The Chapmans nearly did.
But they held on. Not with easy answers or tidy theology. Mary Beth wrote *Choosing to See*, one of the most honest books about grief and faith ever published. She didn't pretend the pain was gone. She documented what it looked like to choose faith one hour at a time when everything inside her wanted to shut down.
Show Hope
The Chapmans didn't retreat from adoption work after Maria's death. They expanded it. Show Hope has now helped place over 9,500 orphans with families worldwide. Maria's legacy became the fuel, not the end of the story.
What This Means for You
The Chapmans' story is the hardest kind — the one where doing the right thing doesn't protect you from catastrophe. Their faith didn't prevent tragedy. It sustained them through it. And what could have destroyed their family became the foundation for thousands of others.