A single man who grew up without his parents and adopted three children has spoken out about his life and is encouraging more people to think of adoption.
Barry Farmer went into foster care when he was just an infant, along with his three sisters. His parents were unable to care for him. Until the age of 4, he grew up in foster care and then went into the care of his grandmother, who he just met. She then looked after both him and his sisters.
His grandmother raised him in a loving home, and he built up a great life in his local community. However, he never forgot those that had helped him when he was so young. Remembering this, he wanted to give back, and aged just 20, and single, he applied to be a foster carer.
While foster carers usually look for households with two parents, the team handed over a 16-year-old boy to Barry who he looked after for a short time. Shortly after, 7-year-old Jaxon was placed in Barry’s care.
"This child, in my head, is Black. When I got there, he was just the whitest white child that I ever worked with … I thought, ‘Wow this is going to be interesting.’ Because I have no clue what I am doing. He was so loving and caring. He just wanted some hugs and to call me dad."
While an attempt was made to move Jaxon on, Jaxon asked to remain with Barry long-term. Shortly after Barry took into care alongside Jaxon an 8-year-old boy Xavier and a 4-year-old Jeremiah.
Barry said:
"Becoming a foster parent was like a tribute to my grandmother because I could never pay her back, but I was definitely able to pay it forward. I would encourage people to not only becoming licensed foster parents but to become adoptive parents."
Barry went on to adopt the three boys and is now encouraging anyone with the same opportunity to do what they can for those children without homes.
14 years on from the first fostering, Barry is now 34 and lives with Jaxon, 19, Xavier, 17, and Jeremiah, 11.
[h/t: Positive Outlooks]
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