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SALT LAKE CITY — When you think of foster care, you may think of young children or babies. However, here in Utah, that's not always the case. The majority of children needing homes are teens.
Wednesday is a day Ethan has been looking forward to for a long time. It's not because he got to take a little break from school to talk with KSL. It’s not even because he got "DartSide", and indoor Nerf arena in Layton all to himself for the ultimate nerf war.
“I kept calling Preston every day like, 'when is this?'” Ethan asked. “What time is this? I’ve just been really hoping to do this.”
Preston is with The Utah Adoption Exchange. He, along with other staff members, are all taking part in the fun and supporting Ethan.
“He was working us out there,” Preston said with a laugh.
The reason Ethan is so happy is because he says it gives him hope that soon he can leave foster care.
“I hope I get adopted pretty quickly,” he said.
Ethan knows an afternoon of fun doesn't guarantee he will get adopted, but he finally got to share his story publicly and let anyone who will hear him know that he wants a family.
“I think about it pretty much every night,” he said. “I even dream about it. I always dream about it pretty much.”
Ethan finds support from folks at the Adoption Exchange and evens shares some laughs.
“He’ll probably be mad I said this but (Ethan’s) crush is Scarlett Johansson,” Preston teased.
The goal for Ethan is permanency, which means a family, a home and no more moving.
“I’ve been in and out of homes for like two or three years,” Ethan said.
He just learned he will be moving again.
“It’s sad because I meet a lot of people and then I up and leave,” Ethan said. “This week I’m leaving and I don’t know what to say to the people. I’ve been there a year.”
On Wednesday, he tried to take a break from thinking about the heaviness of it all, but reality can be hard to hide from.
“Right now, nobody cares much about me,” Ethan said. “I don’t have many people to care about either.”
He wants anyone who will hear him to know he is ready to care, ready to love, and ready to finally be welcomed home.
To learn more about Ethan or the many other children hoping to be adopted, contact The Utah Adoption Exchange at 801-265-0444.
