LEWISVILLE, Texas — He's energetic, talkative and very unique. WFAA introduced you to Jayden nine months ago as our Wednesday's Child. He's now 16 and is hoping more than ever for a family.
Editor's note: The video and the story below are from when we featured him in 2021 at the age of 15.
Jaydan could very well be the next Antonio Banderas. He wants to become an actor, and we know he will succeed.
Lights, camera and action.
"Thank you for this opportunity. This is the farthest I've gotten in life to be honest," said Jaydan, during an amazing adventure at Cathryn Sullivan Acting for Film in Lewisville.
Jaydan got to showcase his skills for the very first time in his life.
"Feel like I'm at least somewhere I can just glow for a second, that just makes me happy," he said with a smile.
It was an opportunity to act, sing and just be himself.
"I'm energetic, unique, skillful. Sometimes, I'm dramatic," he laughed.
Jaydan has been in foster care since he was 6 years old.
"I remember even when I was a kid, I kept telling myself that my family doesn't want me and that's why I should stay in foster care," he said.
Jaydan never gives up.
"I feel like I'm that kind of person where if I fall down and someone says your leg is bleeding, I'm still gonna [sic] walk. It's what I'm supposed to do," he said.
He wants to walk into a new life with parents who love and understand him.
"I want to feel safe. I want to know that every time I wake up in the morning everything is okay," he said.
Jaydan hopes he finds his forever family soon, because he ages out of the system when he turns 18.
"Sometimes when I think about it, I just hear in the background, like a ticking clock."
What he needs to hear is "I love you" and other words of encouragement. Jaydan wants parents who will be okay with him keeping in contact with his biological family. He said they aren't bad people, they just couldn't' take care of him.
"I don't want to be far from my family. I don't want to be told that I can't see my family because they're bad people," he said.
The experience at Cathryn Sullivan Acting for Film in Lewisville meant a lot to Jaydan. At the end of his acting lessons, Cathryn Sullivan awarded him a scholarship of acting classes to him on the path of his acting career.
Jaydan can't wait to fulfill his future endeavors.
"Hey, I'm successful now. I'm working for Blumhouse or Universal... You know, I wanna [sic] say like, 'Hey, I did it. Thank you for this chance,'" he said gratefully.
For more information on how to adopt Jaydan, please send all approved home studies to LaQueena Warren at LaQueena.Warren@dfps.texas.gov. Remember to include Jaydan's name within the subject line.
If you're not licensed, please visit adoptchildren.org to find out more information on how to become licensed to foster and/or adopt or contact LaQueena Warren at 817-304-1272.
For more Wednesday's Child stories, click here.