Man Legally Changes Last Name to Honor Stepfather, Surprises Him in a Video That's Gone Viral (Exclusive)

Steve Sample, who married into the Randle Family, never expected his legacy to continue. His stepson Jake's decision to add Sample to his name blew him away

Keirrah Randle/TikTok Jake Randle-Sample and Steve Sample on TikTok

Keirrah Randle/TikTok

Jake Randle-Sample and Steve Sample on TikTok
  • Jake Randle made the decision to add his stepfather Steve's last name onto his in an effort to honor all he's done for him

  • The decision came after Jake saw both his and Steve's last names listed on their mailbox

  • Steve has been in the Randle family's life for nearly two decades

In an effort to honor his stepfather for stepping up within their blended family, Jake Randle made the touching decision to add Steve Sample’s last name to his own. The heartfelt moment was captured in a TikTok in which Steve, who never had biological children, realized what was happening.

The viral clip highlighted the moment when Jake handed Steve the paperwork showing his new last name, as a birthday gift. Steve burst into tears as the two hugged.

The inspiration for Jake’s decision came unexpectedly.

“I was at the house, and my mom asked me to go get the mail,” Jake recalls exclusively to PEOPLE. “I noticed on the mailbox it had my last name, Randle, and it also said Sample. At that moment, I thought, 'Why wasn’t mine the same?' ”

For Jake, adding Steve’s last name was a way to not only honor him but show his stepfather gratitude for years of love and support.

“I didn’t really know a true, solidified way to thank him for everything that he’s done,” he shares. “I’m sure there’s things that he’s done and sacrificed time after time that I don’t know about.”

Related: Teen, Who Adopted His Late Mother’s Last Name, Tells Stepmom She’s Not ‘an Incentive’ to Change It to Match Father’s

“I feel like we’ve always been a family before this,” Jake continues. “I feel like I have reciprocated enough of the love I give my mom to my father, so I wanted to give him his flowers. I felt like this was my ultimate thank you.”

Reflecting on Jake’s grand gesture, Steve finds it difficult to fully encapsulate what this special gift means to him in words. “It blows me away. This means a lot to me. I don’t have to have this because the love is there and that’s all I need,” he shares. “But I’m happy I have this. I’m just totally blown away.”

Keirrah Randle The Randle-Sample Family

Keirrah Randle

The Randle-Sample Family

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He also explains that he was adopted, and knows the importance of building a family beyond blood relation. “My parents are my parents. I’m not their blood but they’re my parents,” Steve notes. “Blood doesn’t mean everything because families are the ones you make.”

Steve came into the Randle family’s life nearly two decades ago when he married Jake's mom, Sheila. “We just hit it off right away,” Sheila recalls, revealing the two met through a friend. The couple’s connection was immediate, and Steve seamlessly integrated into the family, which also includes Jake's sister Keirrah.

Related: Woman Furious That Her Fiancé Refuses to Take Her Last Name After They Get Married

Steve’s impact on the family has been huge. Remembering Steve’s unwavering support from before they were married, Sheila recalls a time he offered to help with the children’s winter clothing expenses without hesitation.

Keirrah Randle The Randle-Sample Family

Keirrah Randle

The Randle-Sample Family

“He’s always been our comfort,” Keirrah shares to PEOPLE. “He’s been like a good cushion for the longest time, someone we could lean on,” Jake adds, “We’ve always had banter and even though he’s not our biological father, he’s very protective of us.”

While Keirrah and Jake have taken the opportunity to welcome Steve into their family, many TikTok users have expressed wishes that they could have Steve in their families, too.

“Reading the comments, I would just go in and I cry because a lot of comments have noted how lucky we are and they said ‘God, I wish I had a Steve,’ ” Keirrah shares.

As the family continues to grow closer, Keirrah also plans to add Sample to her last name this year.

"o see the impact Steve has on my children’s life," says Sheila, "it’s just so touching.”

Read the original article on People