GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – With thousands of children waiting for a forever home in the Michigan foster system, FOX 17 continues featuring local youth looking for a family.
“My birth mom wasn’t really taking good care of my siblings and me so I just went to my first foster home,” 13-year-old Decota says. He’s bounced around from foster homes and group homes ever since.
“I actually do get lonely,” he says.
The eighth-grader wants to be a storm chaser, so FOX 17 Chief Meteorologist Rick Mecklenburg gave him a tour of the weather center.
Decota dreams of one day being able to do things every 13-year-old boy should be able to.
"Be able to go to a public school and play on the football team is what I would want to do," he says.
And though he's never had one, he knows he wants a dad - a mentor - to fill a void and take time to do what little boys without fathers can only dream about.
Decota has a list of things he wants to do with a father figure.
"Go outside, play catch, watch movies at night, have popcorn," he says.
Not to mention the loving support of a family - encouragement and confidence in not being alone.
"Let's say when you got in a football game and his team lost," Decota says. "They`d say 'It's OK. It's not a big deal. It's just a game.'"
Decota hopes to attend Michigan State University and loves the Spartans - though he’d gladly accept a family who roots for the Maize and Blue.
He’s also interested in joining the National Guard when he grows up.
"National Guard serves their cities," he says. "Dangerous stuff, like help them put out a wildfire. That I`d be interested in."
But above all, he just wants love and compassion - things he promises to give his forever family in return.
If you’d like to adopt Decota or another child, call Orchards Children’s Services at 855-694-7301.
