Michigan – Not A Success Story

I was born in November of 1984 in Battle Creek, Michigan. I have three younger sisters and a younger brother. My biological parents were drug-addicts and left us constantly homeless and hungry, and our father tried to sell my sisters and I to various friends for money to buy alcohol and drugs.

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My siblings and I were all placed in foster care at one time or another. I, myself have been in over 13 foster homes (that I can remember). Two of my younger sisters and I were eventually adopted by an abusive-alcoholic, bi-polar mother and her husband (Sorry if that sounds bitter; SHE IS listed on the list of abusive parents in southwest Michigan). The thing that makes me most bitter about the situation is that she was a foster parent before hand with a severe record of beating her foster children, and still she was allowed to adopt us!!! My youngest sister was adopted by another home in Michigan. My younger brother was adopted by my biological grandma on my mothers' side.

In August of my sixteenth year, I was kicked out of my adopted home one night when my adoptive mother got drunk. After that, even if I had wanted to, I could not go back and I was placed in foster care again.

Since then, I was moved to four other foster homes and tried to get my life straightened out. I graduated from Albion Senior High School with a 2.99999+ GPA. Right after high school I took a plane to Tampa, FL where I now reside, attending my second year (of my bachelors degree) in computer animation. I have a 3.2 GPA here. It is very difficult to live without any sort of parental or emotional support. It's especially difficult during breaks when all of my friends leave to go home to their parents and I must stay and remain alone. It's difficult for me to understand that I must pay for everything and most of the time cannot afford this, yet my friends have lavish cars, expensive clothing, and everything they could ever want or need.

Then, earlier this year, my other two sisters were removed from our adoptive mother's home, after her 6th DUI in the past three years. Unfortunatlely they have been moved around so much as well, I have no idea where they are at the moment. And last I knew, my youngest sister, though only 15, is contemplating suicide...

I know that I must live on and make it where my parents have failed. I refuse to give up and give in. Although it is alot of work and I am highly unprepared for such harsh reality as the real world, I must make something good of myself so that the cycle is not repeated. That is the only way any curse can be broken.

A note to all foster and adopted children: Please do not give up hope. Although you may be treated poorly now, hard work and perserverance will make you a stronger, more capable individual. You can succeed if you believe in yourself.

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