When everything in my life came crashing down, I was fifteen years old. My parents, on whom I had completely depended throughout my life, were feverishly packing their possessions right in front of my own eyes. We are going to contact child services.
The words “They’ll take you away” reverberated in my father’s mind as he packed his luggage with various articles of clothing and personal items. I was unable to fathom the truth of what was taking place as I stood there, transfixed, watching the pandemonium unfold before my eyes. As they clung to me, my younger brothers, James, who was six years old, and Lucas, who was five years old, had big eyes that were filled with dread and bewilderment.
It was then that the burden of duty smashed down on me when the door slammed shut behind them, leaving us behind. I was thrown into a world that I was not prepared for when I suddenly became a parent overnight. The following days were a haze of anxiety, despair, and misery for everyone involved. In spite of my best efforts, my brothers and I were discovered and put in the care of the foster care system. I did all in my power to provide for them. The vacuum that was left in my heart as a result of the heartbreaking separation from James and Lucas was one that nothing could ever replace.