Foster care is a life of instability and unpredictability. When all kids deserve to be surrounded by affection and feel safe, too many are shuffled from family to home, never settling.
Alex has been in foster care since he was a child, spending the previous 11 years in 15 different homes.
Not unexpectedly, Alex struggled with trust, and he never imagined he’d find a lasting home. He had a lot of bad ideas about it, he said.
Trust was a huge issue; there was no purpose in seeking for or attempting to find a family since he assumed he’d wind up back in a foster home.
It’s difficult to have optimism in a scenario as unclear as Alex’s, and it’s common for the youngster to question what’s wrong with them when, in reality, life has given them a bad hand over which they have no control.
Thankfully, Alex’s life changed when he was 13 years old, when Jenny and Stephen Madkour saw him on Jeff Gianola’s Wednesday’s Child episode in 2017 and desired to learn more about him.
The couple was worried about the number of foster kids in their community. They had been thinking about taking in an older child for a long time because they had an extra bedroom.
The pair was mentioned by the boys’ caseworker at Boys and Girls Aid, although Alex didn’t want to get his hopes up.
Jenny and Stephen Madkour bonded with Alex after only one encounter and sensed something unique about him.
From 15 foster homes to 1 forever family – a foster care adoption storyOver the course of 11 years, Alex lived in 15 times different foster homes. Having so many people enter and exit his life, Alex came to Boys & Girls Aid in 2016 having lost hope of ever finding his own family. Today, Alex has amazing and wonderful parents in Jenny and Stephen. This is his story. https://www.boysandgirlsaid.org/stories/fostercareadoption #fosterlove #itsallaboutfamily
Posted by Boys & Girls Aid on Thursday, April 19, 2018
Anyone who’s watched Alex’s video, his fundamental amazing comes out in that video, Jenny added in her interview. The way Jeff Gianola communicated to him and Alex’s reaction with him, it truly gave them a peek of who Alex is.
Alex was introduced to the couple just before Thanksgiving. And just before Christmas, they invited him to live with them.
The pair lives on a farm in Oregon, and Alex claims he “jumped in with both feet” when it came to the animals.
Having these two individuals in his life who he can trust is a huge deal as he know it’s going someplace, Alex explained.
They wish for Alex all that any parent would expect for their child; perhaps, their love and stability, as well as always having a place to call home, will provide him with the foundation to pursue all the amazing things that his heart desires. There are a lot of kids out there that simply want somebody to love them, an emotional Jenny added.
It’s distressing to realize that there are far too many children like Alex who have no idea where they’ll wind up or what will happen to them when they age out of foster care.
I’m so delighted Jenny and Stephen were able to provide Alex with the loving and safe environment he needs. Please spread the word.
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