You’ve probably seen the headlines or stayed up too late bingeing The Curious Case of Natalia Grace on Max. It’s a wild story. Just when you think it can’t get any weirder, a new family enters the fray. Enter Vince and Nicole DePaul.
Honestly, they aren’t your typical "true crime" side characters. They don't seem to want the spotlight, yet they've become the emotional anchor for one of the most confusing adoption sagas in recent history. While everyone else was busy arguing about birth certificates and "adult teeth," the DePauls were the ones who actually stepped up.
But who are they? And why did they suddenly reappear over a decade after they first tried to help Natalia?
The 2009 Adoption That Never Was
Back in 2009, before the Barnett family ever entered the picture, Vince and Nicole DePaul were ready to bring Natalia home. They’re a couple from upstate New York who both have dwarfism, much like Natalia. This wasn't a random choice; they felt a unique connection to her struggle. They understood the medical hurdles, the social stares, and the physical reality of navigating a world built for taller people.
They had the paperwork. They had the heart. But they didn't have the money.
The adoption fell through due to financial constraints. It’s a heartbreaking detail that most people gloss over. If that adoption had happened, the last 15 years of Natalia's life would have looked entirely different. No abandoned apartments in Lafayette. No court battles over her legal age. Just a family in New York who understood her.
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Standing Up to the Barnetts
When Michael and Kristine Barnett started claiming Natalia was a "sociopathic adult" masquerading as a child, the DePauls didn't stay quiet. They went on Inside Edition and basically called foul. Vince was blunt about it: "Do I look like a kid? I'm a dwarf."
He was making a point that the Barnetts’ "evidence"—like Natalia having adult features—was just part of having diastrophic dysplasia. The DePauls had the original documentation from 2009 showing Natalia was exactly the age she claimed to be. Their testimony was a massive blow to the Barnetts’ narrative.
Living With Vince and Nicole DePaul Today
Fast forward to late 2023. Natalia’s relationship with her previous guardians, the Mans family, had turned toxic. It was messy. Accusations of "dictatorship" and control were flying everywhere. Natalia needed an out, and she reached out to her old friends, the DePauls.
Nicole and her daughter, Mackenzie, didn't hesitate. They drove down to Nashville and secretly picked Natalia up from a church parking lot. It sounds like something out of a thriller movie, but for Natalia, it was a rescue mission.
Since then, life has been... well, real. It’s not a fairy tale. Nicole has been very open about the fact that it hasn't always been smooth sailing.
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- The Adjustment Period: Natalia came from a house where she felt controlled. Transitioning to the DePauls' home meant learning to live without a "dictator."
- Boundaries: The Mans family didn't go away quietly. They were calling and trying to pull Natalia back in, which created a lot of friction early on.
- Therapy: This was a big point of contention. The DePauls pushed for "tough love," insisting Natalia go to therapy to deal with years of trauma. Natalia resisted at first. She didn't want to be a "burden."
What do they actually do for a living?
This is the question everyone on Reddit asks. You see their house on TV—it’s nice, tastefully decorated, and they clearly aren't struggling. While the show doesn't focus on their careers, Vince DePaul is actually a heavy hitter in the real estate world.
Vince is the Director of Your House Academy in Illinois. He’s been in the game since 1976. He’s a broker, an instructor, and was even named "Educator of the Year" by the Association of Illinois Real Estate Educators. He even managed the rock band Styx back in the day! The guy has had a massive career. Nicole, while often portrayed as a homemaker on the show, is the backbone of the household management and has been the primary advocate for Natalia’s mental health.
The "Tough Love" Dynamic
One thing that makes the DePauls stand out is their lack of BS. They aren't trying to be "TV parents."
In the most recent updates from 2025 and early 2026, we’ve seen the relationship evolve. There was a period of "rage" where Natalia felt Nicole was crossing a line by criticizing the Mans family. But the DePauls stood their ground. They weren't there to be her fans; they were there to be her family.
Vince has often said they want to "guide Natalia, not control her." That’s a fine line to walk when you’re dealing with someone who has PTSD, ADHD, and Reactive Attachment Disorder.
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Why the DePauls Matter in 2026
We’re now in a place where Natalia is finally acting like an adult. She’s learning to drive. She’s working on her GED. She’s traveled to England. None of this happened when she was under the "care" of people who viewed her as a project or a threat.
The DePauls provided the one thing Natalia never had: stability without strings.
They have no plans to legally adopt her. Why? Because she’s an adult now. They’re providing a home and a family structure because they want to, not because a court told them to. It’s a refreshingly honest approach in a story that has been defined by legal loopholes and lies.
Lessons from the DePaul Household
If you're following this story, there are a few things we can actually learn from how Vince and Nicole handled this:
- Documentation is Everything: The DePauls' 2009 records were the smoking gun that eventually helped restore Natalia’s true birth year.
- Advocacy Requires Understanding: They could advocate for her because they lived her physical reality. They knew the medical nuances the Barnetts ignored.
- Healing Isn't Linear: The tension between Natalia and Nicole proves that "saving" someone doesn't mean the drama stops. It just means you have a safe place to work through it.
If you want to support people in similar situations, looking into organizations like Little People of America (LPA) is a great start. They provide resources for families and individuals dealing with the same medical and social challenges the DePauls and Natalia face every day. You can also look into local foster care advocacy groups that focus on "aging out" support, which is essentially the gap the DePauls filled for Natalia.
The saga of Natalia Grace might finally be quieting down, and that’s mostly thanks to a couple of people in upstate New York who decided that 15 years was long enough to wait to do the right thing.