11-Year-Old Was Abandoned By Foster Parents, Then An Unlikely Hero Steps In

Back in 2018, a young boy named Anthony found himself all alone in the world. His parents put him up for adoption when he was just four years old, but instead of finding a loving family, he bounced around the foster system for seven years. However, just when things were looking utterly hopeless, one phone call connected him with a stranger who would change his life forever. Looking back, Tony can't quite believe how far he's come.

Dire Straits

Social worker Jessica Ward barely knew what to do with Anthony. His most recent foster parents had flat-out left him at a hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the 11-year-old boy had nowhere to go. Still, Jessica knew there was one man in the area that might be able to help them out for a weekend, so she gave him a call. If this didn't work, they would be at a dead end.

The Phone Call

Ward asked Peter Mutabazi, a local foster parent, if Anthony could stay with him that weekend. It wouldn't be anything long-term, she insisted. The boy's story tugged at Peter's heartstrings, so even though he wasn't completely sold on the idea, he drove over to the hospital.

Helping Hands

Right away, Peter seemed to take to Anthony as no other adults had. Then again, he was a pro when it came to helping kids. For three years, Mutabazi had dedicated himself to being a foster father and helping those in the system. But he wasn't so keen on taking Anthony in at first.

Hesitance

While talking to Love What Matters, Mutabazi explained there might have been a possibility Anthony never came into his life. Previously, he had been fostering two young brothers for seven months. The week before Anthony, Mutabazi learned the siblings would be reunited with their birth parents. Mutabazi had been grieving their departure, but he figured accepting Anthony into his home would help them both.

Forming a Bond

Peter Mutabazi agreed to look over Anthony for only a weekend. He couldn't deal with another emotional connection that might be eventually stripped. By the end of those few days, Mutabazi learned the negligence committed by the young boy's adoptive parents. Another revelation made it even more tragic.

Wrong Doing

It had not been the only time Anthony's parents had behaved so recklessly. Peter Mutabazi found that they had abandoned Anthony's other adopted sibling several years earlier. On top of that, Mutabazi's history with the foster care system had not prepared him for caring for an older child like Tony.

Ideal Candidate

Still, it was certainly beneficial that Mutabazi had a background in helping children. He worked at World Vision United States, a nonprofit organization that aided children who lived in vulnerable areas. Alongside that, he had a high success record of helping the foster children that came through his doors.

Someone Special

That weekend proved to be a life-changing one. At the start, he had almost believed he would only allow Anthony to pass through his life. By the end, a real bond had formed between them. Peter even opened up to the boy about his own difficult past.

Childhood Traumas

Peter Mutabazi grew up in Uganda, living in a tough household. Unable to afford daily food rations, his family ate from their garden. They were poverty-stricken, having to live in constant survival mode. His father only worsened matters, being verbally and physically abusive to everyone.

A Survivor's Choice

When he was ten years old, Peter's father ordered him to go out and purchase cigarettes. But when the pack got ruined on the way back, fear made Peter decide to run away. He took a bus and fled further into Uganda, into an unknown world.

Too Young to Struggle

Finding refuge in a city, Peter Mutabazi joined other children who lived on the streets. They offered free labor in order to get close enough to steal small rations of food in the markets. One day, Mutabazi met a family who changed his life forever.

New Road

The family gave food to Peter without him having to steal or even ask for it. For almost a year, this continued. Then by the end of the year, they arrived with an opportunity. They wanted to put him into school. He accepted, knowing he would get meals. But the decision paved the way to the career and life Mutabazi now had.

A Better Life

On Good Morning America, Peter said, "They became my sponsor, my family. I grew up the poor of the poorest people on the planet. I grew up where no one told me to dream, that there was no future for me." These heroes might have inspired Mutabazi to become a foster father too.

Adoption Process

Peter Mutabazi went to high school, then college, and later became an American citizen. Even after fostering twelve children, he sensed a special connection with Anthony. With the right resources at his disposal, Mutabazi could help Anthony's life turn around, not unlike what Peter went through. And after learning that the boy's parents had completely signed away their custody rights, Peter leaped to a decision.

Heartbreak

Peter planned to adopt Anthony. Mutabazi told Love What Matters, "All the promises of a forever family were thrown out the window and this young boy was left alone, abandoned, frightened, and crushed emotionally. The worst part of all, he didn’t know when or if they were ever coming back for him because he was not in on the plan they orchestrated to abandon their child."

Tony's Care

Best of all, Anthony was overjoyed by the news! Of course, the adoption process wouldn't happen overnight. Peter and Anthony waded through two long years for paperwork and meetings. They hoped nobody from Tony's past would try to throw a wrench into their plans.

Put into Action

Fortunately, by 2020, the toughest obstacles were behind them. The adoption was made official in a courthouse, filled with Peter's close ones — who by then were Anthony's close ones too. The father-son duo have enjoyed many new experiences since then.

Father's Love

Peter Mutabazi talked about Anthony on Good Morning America. "He's the nicest, smartest kid I've ever had," he beamed. "From day one, he's always called me 'dad.' He truly meant it and he looks up to me. He's proud to show me at school and say, 'Hey, he's my dad.' That's something that I love about him."

Family Life

The father and son have enjoyed simple activities, made all the better by being together. They can often be found bicycling, watching movies, and playing board games. After the lonely upbringings they both had, sharing such small moments provided a special comfort. The results were clear in Tony's development as well.

Time Since

Mutabazi proudly told Love What Matters about the progress Anthony has made. Within nineteen months, he read through over 500 books. Within school, church, and the foster community, Anthony made numerous friends. It was everything he ever dreamed of.

Brighter Future

Peter Mutabazi never stopped his involvement with fostering either. Peter now had Anthony's help in taking care of the eleven foster kids that came through their doors during the past three years. Both had brought out the best in each other. Now they're making a difference for other kids navigating the harsh realities of the foster system.

Brothers and Sisters

Anthony's foster system experience might have been a bit easier if he had a sibling to depend on, which is why so many foster kids desperately try to stick with their brothers and sisters. Bradley, 11, Preston, 10, Layla, 8, Landon, 6, and Olive, 2, only had each other after they were removed from their mother's custody in 2016. They knew the Kansas foster system would likely send them each to different homes, and they were terrified.

Older Kids

As the two oldest kids — just about the same age as Anthony, in fact — Bradley and Preston felt a responsibility to keep their family together. But it wouldn't be easy. In fact, the separation of siblings when they enter the foster system is often the rule and not the exception.

Pure Terror

Layla and Landon were younger than their big brothers, and they were even more terrified of being separated forever. Unfortunately, the siblings were initially placed in different homes, just like they feared they would be.

Baby of the Family

Even baby Olive cried when she learned they would be separated. Theresa Freed, communications director for the Kansas Department for Children and Families, disappointingly said, “Unfortunately, this case isn’t unusual." But did it have to be this way?

Group Challenges

Freed confirmed their fears. “We have always wanted the children to remain together, but it’s often difficult to find foster homes that take in large sibling groups,” she continued. At this point, things weren't looking good for the charming kids who so badly wanted to reassemble their little family. But then, something changed...

Good Press

You see, the Kansas City Star, their local paper, heard about the plight of this adorable squad of kids. Writers decided to write up a feature about the kids in the hopes of reaching a family willing to adopt them all together, the way they belonged.

A Touching Story

The write-up of the five brothers and sisters, and the adorable photos that came with it, hit more than just a few heartstrings. Theresa couldn't believe the tremendous impact the story was having. Would it actually help them find a forever home?

Glimmer of Hope

Their fortunes seemed to be turning! “So many people were able to instantly see these children in their family, and after learning more about the kids by reading their bios, that desire to adopt them grew,” Theresa said. And grew it did.

Going Viral

The Kansas cuties garnered 4 million clicks on their profile and got more than 3,000 adoption requests subsequent to the Kansas City Star issue they were featured in. People instantly fell in love with these kids, and it soon became clear they would have the family of their dreams!

Not Many Candidates

But there was a hitch. Out of the thousands who pleaded to provide love and a home for the Fab Five, caseworkers narrowed the enthusiastic list down to seven families, and they knew enthusiasm didn't necessarily equal qualifications.

Need for Space

“The kids are very active and they’d like a family with a house large enough for them to run and play and be kids,” said Theresa. “We’re going to do our very best to make that happen.”

Sticking to Kansas

Although families from as far as Ireland and New Zealand showed interest in the siblings, caseworkers were working hard to keep them in Kansas, and it looked like through some miracle that just might happen.

The Whaley Family

It was Jeff and Toni Whaley of Douglas County, Kansas, who seemed to be the perfect pair for the siblings. Weirdly, the couple, who had served as foster parents for years, applied to adopt the kids just days before the Kansas City Star piece went viral.

Adoption Official

When a judge officially appointed the Whaleys as parents to the five angels, Jeff said that they "feel blessed." Layla added, "It was really, really important that we stay together."

The Whaleys could give their new children the home they always dreamed of, complete with pet chickens, a big backyard, and plenty of hayrides. It seems like things really couldn't get any more heartwarming, but miraculously, they did.

After the Fab Five's beautiful story gained international attention, state officials disclosed that it helped attract other families to the adoption route. We can only hope that the Whaleys' journey continues to inspire. Every adoption should be so open and loving, but sadly, sometimes things are more complicated.