GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – As we continue our Forever Home series, we introduce you to Michael, a high school sophomore who puts others first. Michael is musical, has high aspirations, and shared his number one wish: to soon be adopted.
Tuesday morning, Michael warmed up on violin, an instrument he has loved learning to play over the past four years.
Michael is 16-years-old, he’s musical, and in school he said he loves science.
“I’m intelligent, and I’m smart, and I like to have fun,” he said.
And just after he played a duet with a teacher at the Academy of Music in Grand Rapids, Michael said he would like to help others himself.
“I have a big heart and I care for people a lot,” said Michael. “If I just met someone, then I have this feeling like I need to be there for them, especially if they can’t be there for themselves and they need a little bit of help.”
Michael said his younger sister has a speech impediment and stutters. Her struggle inspired him to want to help people with their speech, so they do not get made fun of.
“I want to be a speech-language pathologist when I get older,” said Michael. “I want to help people with their speech after having strokes and stuff, and people who just need help.”
“Or, I want to be an archeologist. So I can probably do both: they’re really big jobs, but I can do both so I can travel the world and help people with their speech all around the world,” he said.
Now Michael has seen his younger sister and other siblings get adopted, one-by-one. Along with his big aspirations, Michael also dreams that one day soon he will have a family too.
“I’m hoping to be adopted, or somewhere where I’m stable and stuff and just have fun, and with someone who understands, people who understand my situation and my past,” said Michael.
Michael pictures sitting together with his forever family in the living room, playing games, and just being together. He dreams of having a family, just like every kid deserves.
“It means that I have someone there to listen to and they can listen to me back, and I can sit and we can talk and have fun and play games,” said Michael. “Just stuff that a regular family would do.”
If you would like adopt Michael, any other Michigan foster youth, or to ask questions, call Orchards Children’s Servicesat: 1 (855) 694-7301.
Fox 17 News would like to extend a special thank you to the Academy of Music in Grand Rapidsfor a special filming session. Thank you!
UPDATE:
Since FOX 17 News aired a piece on what it’s like to live in foster care, Adoption Specialist Dana Wright with Orchards Children’s Services said more than 80 families and individuals called interested in becoming foster care or adoptive parents.
Each week FOX 17 News features a youth in Michigan foster care who is at a high risk of aging out of the system. You can find them by searching “forever home” on fox17online.com.
Also, you can see all Michigan youth who are currently available for adoption on the Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange website.
