Sandra Bullock says the impact of Hurricane Katrina convinced her to adopt children.
The 53-year-old actress has two adopted children – Louis, eight, and Laila, five – and Sandra has admitted that it wasn’t until the deadly tropical storm struck the US in 2005 that she became convinced parenthood was her destiny.
A teary-eyed Sandra – whose son was born in New Orleans, which was devastated by the natural disaster – explained: "I did think, ‘Maybe not.’ Then [Hurricane] Katrina happened. I’m going to cry … Katrina happened in New Orleans and something told me, ‘My child is there.’ It was weird."
Despite her initial doubts about becoming a parent, Sandra – whose divorce from Jesse James was finalised in 2010 – immediately felt comfortable with her child in her arms.
Speaking to the ‘Today’ show, the Hollywood actress recalled: "I looked at him like, ‘Oh, there you are.’ It was like he had always been there.
"He fit in the crook of my arm. He looked me in the eyes. He was wise. My child was wise."
Sandra was initially unsure about what to expect from mother.
But the ‘Ocean’s 8’ star admitted that a lot of the advice she’s received over the years only made sense the moment she looked at her child for the first time.
Sandra said: "The beautiful thing that I was constantly told was, ‘The perfect child will find you. You will find your child.’ But you don’t believe that when it’s not happening. When you’re going, ‘Where is my family?’
"When it does happen, you know exactly what they’re talking about."
And it was Sandra’s son Louis who convinced the actress to adopt for a second time in 2015.
During a conversation between Sandra and some of her friends, who were discussing their daughters, a then three-year-old Louis said: "Yeah, I don’t have daughters. But I’m going to have a baby soon."
Sandra added: "I realised at that time, maybe he knew something. And when I think about it, it would have been around the time that Laila was born."
Sandra Bullock reveals how Hurricane Katrina convinced her to adopt
