13-year-old in foster care for most of his life looks forward to the ‘freedom’ of being someone’s son

Thirteen-year-old Tim from Texas entered the foster care system at the age of 3. He has long been waiting for a family to adopt him — for someone to call him their son.

Tim is a wonderful young man, but he is still in the foster care system 10 years later. The teen recently appeared on KHOU’s Wednesday’s Child, hoping to find a family who will adopt him.

Tim’s caseworker flew him from another part of the state to Dallas to be featured on the program.

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The teen currently lives at a residential treatment center for foster kids. Although he has been in various foster homes, nothing was ever permanent.

Tim guarantees he is well-behaved and that the family who’d adopt him in won’t encounter any problems.

“At home, I am an angel. Perfect,” he described his behavior at the center.

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The Wednesday’s Child episode showed a photo of Tim when he was seven years old—full of life and his bright blue eyes shining with joy.

Those eyes are still the same stunning blue, but they look more tired nowadays. For years, Tim has moved from placement to placement—a situation that can leave anyone weary.

Like every child in the foster care system, Tim longs for a family to adopt him, to have stability and consistency—a loving home that he can call his own.

Tim admitted he has trouble sleeping at night because of this lack of permanence.

“Kind of like being in a prison without walls. You got runners, but then where you gonna [sic] go if you run? Absolutely nowhere but right back to where you ran from,” he said.

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Tim is searching for a family who will love him and never abandon him. He wants parents that will not only raise him until he’s an adult but those he can call “family” for the rest of his life.

“I know I want a mom and dad at least,” he said.

Tim hopes to find the kind of mother who is kind, caring, and understanding. He knows moms usually worry a lot, and Tim looks forward to finding one who will worry about him, like the mothers he sees on television or from his schoolmates.

“Someone that cares, who’s always worried. I may seem embarrassed sometimes (by her worrying) but she’ll still be wondering if I’m OK. She’ll ask how my day is every time I walk through the door,” he said.

In a father, Tim hopes for someone who can be a good role model—a dad who will throw a ball with him and teach him to be a man.

“If I go outside, he’ll go outside with me. He’ll give me some normalcy,” he said.

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Having spent much of his life alone, Tim would also love to have brothers and sisters he can play with. As they grow up, they will be each other’s support system.

“Kind of gets boring playing by yourself. Plus, you can learn from them,” he said.

Tim also wants a family who can fully trust him.

“Freedom. Freedom to go out the door when I want and them not worrying about me coming back or not, because they know they can trust me,” he explained.

If you believe your family can provide Tim with everything he’s looking for, you may send your approved home studies to LaQueena Warren at LaQueena.Warren@dfps.texas.gov. Please remember to mention Tim’s name on the subject line.

If you’re not licensed, you may visit adoptchildren.org or contact LaQueena Warren at 817-304-1272 for information on how to become a licensed foster.

Get to know Tim more in the video below. 

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