Heartfelt Words from Damien: ‘I Want to Say Mom and Dad’

You want to meet a kid with a heart of gold? Meet Damien. It doesn't get more heartfelt and vulnerable than being a teenage boy and wanting nothing other in life than to have people to call "mom" and "dad."

When asked about what his ideal family would look like, Damien wished a positive male figure could be in his life along with a mother.

"I would want a dad, too, so I could actually say the word 'mom' and 'dad,' instead of saying the words 'aunt' or 'uncle.' The words 'mom' and 'dad,' whenever I hear them, my brain just calculates it for a second" before it registers that Damien doesn't have any yet.

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"And then it's just, 'Ohhh,'" he said.

Damien would also love to have siblings. He says he's not picky: brother, sister, older, younger -- it doesn't matter. This kid is just looking for a family.

Who Can Adopt?

If you’re at least 18, have a stable source of income and have room in your heart, you may be a perfect match to adopt a waiting child. Adoptive parents can be single, married or partnered; experienced or not; renters or homeowners; LGBTQ+ singles and couples. As an adoptive parent, you won’t have to pay any fees. Adoption from foster care is completely free in Massachusetts.

The process to adopt a child from foster care includes training, interviews and home visits to determine if adoption is right for you. These steps will help match you with a child or sibling group that will be a good fit.

To learn more about adoption from foster care, call the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) at (617) 964-6273 or visit www.mareinc.org. Start the process today and give a waiting child a permanent place to call home.