Blog - Methodist Home for Children

Tyanna

I was placed in foster care at age 10, but I didn’t know it at the time. I was told by my mother that my older brother, Tyson, would be taking care of me. I thought nothing of it because Tyson always took care of me.

It wasn’t until the social workers started rolling in that I began to understand what was happening. They sat us down and explained that the Department of Social Services was going to take my twin brother and me away from our mom. But before they could place us in a new home, Tyson stepped up and took us. As I mentioned, Tyson was always there as our primary caretaker, so not much changed in the lives of my twin brother and me.

But everything changed for him. Tyson was 21 – raising two 9-year-olds. He withdrew from school to care for us, and he was still trying to settle into his own life with his new job and new home.

We began to settle in, and it was becoming apparent that we were not going back with my mom. Tyson knew he wanted to keep us but he didn’t know how to go about it. Years passed without much help from DSS. Then, Tyson received a life-changing message from Michelle Kennedy, the adoption supervisor at Methodist Home for Children.

Michelle opened up a world of resources as she explained the options to Tyson and, as a result, he was able to adopt not only me and my twin brother, but my youngest brother as well.

Meanwhile, my brother set the bar for me by modeling a strong work ethic and family values. He progressed from a security guard at Duke Energy to cybersecurity at Red Hat to his current position as a Microsoft specialist for Lenovo (update: Tyson is now North American workforce business analyst for Lenovo).

Watching him excel in his work has always made me want to do the same.

The Hackley Education & Learning Program has been on my team for two years now and because of that, I am starting my third year at East Carolina University as a birth-kindergarten education major, with at a 3.7 grade point average. When I graduate, I will pursue a master’s degree in social work.

I am where I am today because of Methodist Home for Children. It will now – and forever be – a part of who I am.

The Hackley Education & Learning Program supports the higher-education goals of students who’ve been in our foster care, adoption, multipurpose, and transitional living homes. The program provides financial support and a dedicated mentor.

Owen

Lessons in belonging

You need to know that you matter.

He is a teenager who captured the hearts of our staff. He had no place to go; he believed he had no one who cared. We showed him otherwise.

Meet Owen.

He is 17 years old.
His mother left him when he was 1.
Sometimes he lived with an aunt, but he spent most of his childhood with a guardian – the ex-husband of his mother’s sister (a different aunt) – whom he called “uncle.”
He came to our multipurpose home at age 16 for stealing his uncle’s truck.
His uncle is remarried, and Owen is no longer welcome in his home.
He gave our staff teacher a coffee mug and candy for Mother’s Day.
He discovered his own mother lived 15 miles away as he worked on a family tree project.
He wants to build a relationship with her.
He moved into our transitional living home last May to learn how to be independent.
For his birthday, we gave him a BMX bike.
He loves to read and keeps at least four books by his bed.
He earned his GED and forklift certification while he lived with us.
He worked hard in his first job at a fast-food restaurant.
He left us this spring and lives now with his 24-year-old cousin.
He doesn’t think his life is harder than that of other kids he knows.
He’s working at a bike shop, and he just got a promotion.
One day, he wants to go to college.

We will be here for him.

I wish you knew…

The assignment: Create a self-portrait and tell us about yourself.

Hertford home I’m proud I’ve been here because I feel that if I was still at home, I would be in more trouble. … I’m scared of the future when I get out on my own.

See more from Hertford

Specialized services My dream is to be a professional football player. I also want to be a quarterback. People just laugh. They think I can’t do it, but I think I can do it. I want to make my family proud of me.

See more from specialized services

Macon home I am A.
I understand why I’m here.
I say I’m awesome.
I dream about being a veterinarian.
I try to lose weight.
I hope to become a veterinarian. See more from Macon