DALLAS — If you ever want to better understand the trauma a child faces in foster care, just ask them about moving from foster home to foster home.
During Elijah's five years in foster care, he's lived in several different foster homes.
"That's what's hard about it," he says. "You're there, you love them and everything, but then ... you gotta go."
But 12-year-old Elijah has found that through music, he can take a break from his worries and stress. His instrument of choice – drums.
And if drumming has taught him anything, it's persistence to be better.
"What is good about me is I could be a very, very, very nice child," he said. "Like I could be so smart, so unique, so talented."
He only recently started playing the drums.
"I wanted to be in band," he said. "I didn't know what it was at first until they told me it was music and I was like, really? Yes!"
The drums drive Elijah to work harder. The more he delves into them, the less stress he feels.
Still trying to find a rhythm in foster care, it would be music to his ears to be adopted.
"On a scale of one to 1,000, I would say a million," he said of how much he'd love to become part of a family.
Elijah is one in a million. He wears his heart on his sleeve and isn't afraid to be himself.
"That would mean a lot," he said of what it would mean to be adopted. "I would maybe even start crying like crazy."
Elijah needs a loving, nurturing family with parents who will never give up on him.
"I would like them to say, 'I love you and I have always loved you,'" he said.
In return, Elijah has a promise for that special family who will take a chance on him.
"I want to be like the greatest son that they ever had," he said.
Just as he pushes himself to be a better percussionist, Elijah will never stop striving to be a rockstar in his parents' hearts.
WFAA and Child Protective Services partner to spotlight these children in hopes that one day a child's wish of a "forever family" will come true.
Please send all approved home studies to La Queena Warren at the email address below, if you’re already licensed. Please remember to include the child or children’s names 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 817-304-1272.
LaQueena.Warren@dfps.state.tx.us
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