DALLAS — When we feature a Wednesday's Child who says they really want to be adopted, we promise them that we will do as many tapings as possible to help them. This is one of those cases.
This is now the second time WFAA is featuring 16-year-old Jaydan. He's a star, who deserves a forever family who truly sees him.
For Jaydan, there's nothing quite like the thrill of being on stage. He got to experience it first hand when UniverSoul Circus invited him to be the ringmaster for a show.
"This is exciting! Getting to be in a crowd and to be here for a fresh new Wednesday's Child," Jaydan said.
WFAA last spoke with Jaydan in August of 2021. He opened up about something painful.
"I remember when I was in foster care, I kept telling myself that my family doesn't want me and that's why I should stay in foster care," he told WFAA in his first interview.
Jaydan has been in foster care for 10 years now. It weighs on him, which is why he keeps praying for a miracle that a family will adopt him. He wants parents who will understand him and help him to become a man.
"If I get this family, then one day I get to go back and say these people gave me something a lot of people wouldn't, and I can't thank them enough for it," he said.
The clock is ticking. Jaydan will age out of the system in two years, at age18, if he doesn't get adopted.
"It's kind of like the boogeyman. It comes out of nowhere. You know adult life is something I've been afraid of. I'm not ready to go out there and be my own man," he said honestly.
But he was born ready for this moment today. The moment he got to shine on stage as Ringmaster and to be featured again as a Wednesday's Child.
"I've learned the value of not giving up because you know, you can do something 100 times and fail. But what if you get to 101 and there you go. You make it!"
His optimism is as contagious as the joy Jaydan spreads everywhere!
"When you hit rock bottom, you can't scratch the ground, you gotta [sic] go back up and so, I'm building my way back up," he said about the disappointment of not getting adopted yet.
"I hope this goes better than the first time," he added about today's taping.
We also hope that featuring Jaydan a second time is the charm.
Jaydan, WFAA will never stop helping you to find your forever family, just as we know you will never give up on hope.
"The number one that brings me hope is when I look in the mirror and I say to myself, 'what am I gonna [sic] find today?' I don't know. So, let's find out," he said confidently.
For more information on how to adopt Jaydan, please send all approved home studies to LaQueena Warren at LaQueena.Warren@dfps.texas.gov. Please 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.
If you would like to read more Wednesday's Child stories, click here.