Former Home and Away star Mat Stevenson has adopted his transgender daughter Grace Hyland's best friend after her father reportedly couldn't accept her gender affirmation.
Grace unveiled the heartwarming news via her TikTok account on Saturday (August 7), posting a video of herself handing a vase of flowers to her pal Belle Bambi.
"My BFF's dad left because she's trans, so we did this," she explained, as Mat popped up in front of the camera holding an adoption certificate. "He's always supported me, and he wants to support Bambi too."
"We're sisters now," the voiceover exclaimed as Mat bent to give Bambi a kiss on the cheek.
Later, Bambi took to her own page to share a similar announcement. In it, she described Mat as someone "who accepts and loves me for who I am", and added that she couldn't be happier to invite him into her life as a father figure.
"He adopted me," she gushed, as Mat signed the papers.
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According to news.com.au, the adoption is not legally binding but the certificate recognises Stevenson as Belle's "chosen dad".
Related: Former Home and Away co-stars Jessica Grace Smith and Benedict Wall expecting first baby together
Grace's social media following has been growing steadily since 2012, which is when she began documenting her transition online. As it stands, she is most active on YouTube, Instagram and, as mentioned above, TikTok.
Mat, meanwhile, is best known for playing Adam Cameron on long-running Aussie soap Home and Away, a role he initially held between 1989 and 1994 before returning briefly in 1999.
The character made his debut on the show when he rescued Carly Morris (Sharyn Hodgson), Roo Stewart (Justine Clarke) and Bobby Simpson (Nicolle Dickson) from being assaulted by Maurice 'Revhead' Gibson (Gavin Harrison) and several of his friends.
He went on to have romantic relationships with Carly, and Dannii Minogue's Emma Jackson.
Home and Away airs weekdays at 1.15pm and 6pm on Channel 5 (UK) and Mondays to Thursdays at 7pm on Channel 7 (Australia). Selected classic episodes are available via Amazon Prime Video in the UK.
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