As some may know I am getting more and more involved in the foster care community.  It has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember, but I hadn’t found the best way I could be involved yet.  Still, my heart was always open and drawn to stories relating to foster care.

In a previous life (like up until a whole two years ago) I worked in the training simulation lab at an air traffic control center.  Through that job I was able to meet a whole lot of amazing people.  One of them was my friend Mark.  He and I had become Facebook friends as co workers do, and once in a great while I would see him tagged by our mutual friends or his family.  One of those times his wife Shannon posted about the story of this amazing little boy who they were fostering.  Of course this touched my heart, but I had no idea how much it would effect me until after I read his story.

This little boy had lived out a completely unjust, and horrific string of events that would traumatize anyone – let alone a little boy.  I encourage you to read the full story of Jeremyah and his sister Mariah here.

In short, Jeremyah not only had to go through the circumstances that lead he and his sister into foster care.  He also had to endure the same terrifying situation all foster children go through when they are taken to a stranger’s home and away from the only home they know.  If that wasn’t enough, three days after his placement with his sister in a foster home, his sister was found hallucinating, agitated and acting strangely.  She was taken to the hospital and tested positive for meth.  The foster parent convinced the hospital that she must have eaten the drug while still in the care of her mother, which is unbelievable since she only started showing signs that day.  Somehow it was decided that Mariah should return to the same foster home.  That decision (or lack of action) would become the death sentence for this sweet baby girl.  Only 13 days later she would be found dead after ingesting meth yet again.  Jeremyah saw his little sister shaking and trembling, complaining of spiders that weren’t there.

When I read this story, through my tears, I became angry.  Like most I was angry about the level of care, or lack thereof.  Then I was heart broken that this little boy had to witness such a thing, let alone lose his sister.  Then I was worried about his future.  How could anyone, let alone a child, get through all of this unscathed?  Finally, I was incredibly hopeful, because I remembered that I saw the post by people I personally knew, who were solid and loving.

While it is easy to be wrapped up in the bad of this story, the real story here is of hope, and hopefully inspiration.  This is an amazing story of seeing a family step up and take in a little boy who is undoubtedly going to need some extra love and patience.  It is also seeing that family be payed back in joy, laughs and love.  Seeing the fruits of their labor displayed in an AMAZING 7 year old, with an ever changing smile!  It is my sincere hope that Jeremyah’s story can be one that shows the love that can be made out of trauma.  There are foster families in almost every neighborhood, proving the same things every day.  Even so, we are in great crisis in terms of the youth in foster care in this country.  The number of youth in care, compared to the number of licensed foster homes, are in stark contrast.  Foster care can be a scary world to enter into, but the more I learn, the more hope, and the good I see.  There are wonderful people who allow this love into their life and home, and many others that support the families that do.  After all, as scary as it may be for you to become involved and possibly hurt by loving these children, imagine how scary it is for them to not be attached to anyone.  There are so many ways to become involved in such a broad issue.  There is something every person can do.  From mentoring, fostering, making meals, or helping those that are fostering. There are hundreds of needs to be filled.  If you have an interest in becoming involved please don’t hesitate to reach out.  I can help you find a way for you to be involved in a way that works for you.

I was so excited to be able to document Jeremyah’s adoption day!  To be a small part of his story is a pure honor, and I hope to be able to document this amazing family in the years to come.  Check out Jeremyah’s debut as a Villanueva below!!