ADOPTIVE PARENTS.
WE THOUGHT MAYBE IF YOU HEARD
SOME STORIES, WE MIGHT CHANGE
SOME MIND.
>> I WANT TO OWN MY OWN
BUSINESS.
>> LAW ENFORCEMENT IS A VERY
EXCITING AND FUN REAR.
>> COLLEGE TO BECOME AN OBGYN.
>> BIG DREAMS, ONE CONSTANT
BEING TOSSED AROUND IN THE
FOSTER CARE SYSTEM.
>> HOW ARE YOU DOING?
YOU GUYS OKAY?
NKTS YES.
>> CLOSE YOUR EYES FOR A SECOND
AND DESCRIBE TO ME WHAT THAT
FAMILY LOOKS LIKE TO YOU.
>> WARM AND WHOLE AND TOGETHER.
>> CAYLEE WHAT DOES IT -- I’VE
SEEN A MOTHER AND A FATHER
WALKING WITH VERY BRIGHT
SUNLIGHT BEHIND THEM AND WE’RE
JUST RUNNING THROUGH A PARK.
>> JUL HOLDING HANDS?
>> NO, WE’RE CHASING AFTER A
DOG.
>> CAYLEE IS 14.
THOUGH SHE P SHE’S BEEN IN
FOSTER CARE HER WHOLE LIFE, SHE
SAYS SHE STILL HAS HOPE.
SAMUEL IS NEARLY 16.
HE SPENT THE LAST SIX YEARS IN
FOSTER CARE.
>> LET’S SAY IT’S ONE WINTER
DAY, SITTING AROUND WATCHING
HALL MARK FAMILIES.
>> WOO.
>> I’M LOOK AT ALL THESE
BEAUTIFUL, KIND, LOVING FACES.
WHAT IS THE MISCONCEPTION ABOUT
OLD ARE KIDS WHEN IT COMES TO
ADOPTION IN.
>> PEOPLE THINK THEY’RE WE’RE
LIKE DELINQUENTS, GET IN TROUBLE
A LOT.
>> I FEEL LIKE THESE DAYS THEY
WANT YOUNG ARE CHILDREN.
>> THESE TEENS PRAY THEY WILL BE
THE EXCEPTION BUT THEY’RE LIVING
THE REALITY THAT FEW ADOPT OF
PARENTS CONSIDER OLDER KIDS.
ACCORDING TO A PARIS HOLE, ONLY
3% PREFERRED CHILDREN 13 AND OVER, THOUGH ONE FOURTH OF THOES
OVER, THOUGH ONE FOURTH OF THOES
IN HOS FOSTER CAME.
>> PEOPLE GET WIDE-IZED WHEN
THEY FIND OUT ASHLEY WAS ADOPTED
AT 16.
>> EYE HAD
>> I’LL BE HONEST, I HAD A LOT
OF NAY SAYERS.
THEY SAID YOU DO NOT WANT TO GET
A 16-YEAR-OLD.
I SAID, YES, I DO.
>> WHEN I FOUND OUT I WAS
GETTING ADOPTED, I -- MY MOM HAS
THE BIGGEST HEART IN THE WORLD.
>> ASHLEY SAYS SHE’S SO LUCKY.
I WANT TO SAY I’M SO LUCKY.
>> ASHLEY IS NOW IN COLLEGE AND
HAS FOUNDED A NONPROFIT.
INSTEAD OF TRASH BAGS FOR THEIR
BELONGINGS, SUITCASES OF HOPE
DONATES DUFFEL BAGS TO CHILDREN
GOING INTO THE SYSTEM.
>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY OLDER
FOSTER KID HAVE THAT OTHER SAN
DIEGO DID I’VE BEEN TO PLACEMENT
AFTER PLACEMENT AND I REALLY
WANTED TO LEAVE WITH A NATURAL
FAMILY.
I DO BELIEVE THERE WAS A GOD AND
I BELIEVE I WAS BLESSED JUST
RECENTLY INTO A LOVING FAMILY.
>> THIS SUMMER AFTER 14 YEARS IN
FOSTER CARE, MICHAEL MOVED IN
WITH A MOM OF TWO WHO HE HAD
BEFRIENDED THROUGH HIS PART-TIME
JOB.
SHE’S FOSTERING HIM WITH PLANS
TO ADOPT.
>> SOME PEOPLE MAY LOOK AT THE STORY AND SAY THESE KIDS ARE
STORY AND SAY THESE KIDS ARE
OLDER, A LOT OF KIDS WHO GET
HOLDER DON’T WANT
OLDER DON’T WANT TO BE AT HOME
ANYMORE ANYWAY, WHAT WOULD YOU A
I?
>> EVERYBODY NEEDS SOMEONE TO BE
THERE TO SUPPORT THEM.
FAMILIES ARE FOREVER.
>> WHAT GIVES YOU HOPE?
>> MY MOTHER.
MY MOM HAS BEEN MY SUPPORT SINCE
DAY ONE AND GIVE ME HOPE THAT
THERE’S PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT
CAN TELL THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE
IN THE SYSTEM AND KID ARE BRAVE
ENOUGH TO GET ON HERE AND SHARE
THEIR
THEIR.
>> AND YOU WERE ADOPTED WHEN YOU
WERE 16?
>> YES, MA’AM.
>> HOPE IS SITTING RIGHT THERE
IN THE FRAME LOOKING AT US.
>> THERE ARE MORE THAN 400,000
KIDS IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM
WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO OPEN
THEIR HEARTS AND HOMES SO EVERY
CHILD IN AMERICA CAN HAVE A
FOREVER FAMILY.
>> WHEN YOU TAKE THAT CHANCE,
YOU MIGHT FIND THE RIGHT KID FOR
YOU.
WHEN UP TAKE THAT CHANCE AND YOU
GIVE YOUR LOVE, THEY WILL GIVE
THEIRS BACK TO YOU.
I JUST WOULD LIKE SOMEONE TO SHARE MY LOVE WITH.
SHARE MY LOVE WITH.
>> THERE ARE 400,000 WHAT DO WE
HAVE, 3 MILLION?
WE JUST NEED A FRACTION.
>> I WAS JUST THINKING THE SAME
THING, IF SOMEBODY IS WATCHING
AND IT TOUCHED THEIR HEART,
DON’T LET THAT MOMENT PASS.
FAMILY IS.
AND YOU WANT TO GROW OLD WITH
THOSE KID AND HAVE THEM AROUND
YOU ON HOLIDAYS.
>> CAYLEE, THE 14-YEAR-OLD SAID
THERE ARE 40-YEAR-OLDS WHO STILL
NEED THEIR MOM.
OF COURSE I NEED MY MOM.
WE WANT TO GIVE A HUGE HAPPENED
OF THE.
>> IT’S SO SPECIAL.
I HAVE ADOPTIVE BROTHERS AND