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LEHI — "I went to a dinosaur museum a long time ago and I was like 'Whoa.' So I got into dinosaurs just like that," Dalton said.
Since Dalton was three years old, the past, especially dinosaurs, have been a fascination of his. He is a bit of a brain.
"My grade point average is 3.667," he said proudly.
He's hoping to make his love of the past become his future.
"I want to be a paleontologist and I'd basically be traveling the entire world," he said.
He wants to make sure his favorite animal that ever existed is never confused with science fiction.
"People say that dinosaurs aren't real but I want to prove to them that they are real," he said.
On Wednesday, he got to learn from one of the best. A real paleontologist from the Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point is giving him a behind-the-scenes look at his dream job.
Before Dalton becomes a paleontologist, he says there's something that needs to happen first. He needs to be adopted.
"I thought I would go to a foster home and then go back with my family, but I was wrong," he said.
This overachiever isn't used to being wrong and when it comes to finding a family, the waiting part is hard.
"Some people care about me but some people I feel really don't care about me," he said.
He's been living in foster care since he was five-years-old.
"It's because my family can't take care of me," he said.
With each passing day, it doesn't get easier.
"I feel worthless sometimes," he said.
Worthless, left behind and buried under his past.
On Wednesday, he didn't feel worthless.
"I felt like an actual paleontologist," he said. "It's like I basically have paleontology in my blood."
He has hopes for tomorrow.
"I want to have someone who takes care of me and loves me," he said.
To learn more about Dalton, contact The Adoption Exchange at 801-265-0444.
