Single Dad Adopted Teen Who Was Abandoned At Hospital: ‘I Knew I Had To Take Him’
Tony’s adopted parents abandoned him at a hospital when he was 11 years old, but things changed two years later.
His parents abandoned an 11-year-old youngster in a hospital. As a result, Tony Mutabazi was placed in foster care, unsure whether he would ever find a permanent family. But then along came Peter Mutabazi, a young kid from Charlotte, North Carolina, who was about to change the young teen’s life forever. Tony had been in and out of foster care since he was two years old, and little is known about his original parents. Peter, on the other hand, knew he was destined to be the young boy’s father.
Before adopting the teen, Peter fostered him. Peter told Good Morning America, “He’s the sweetest, smartest kid I’ve ever had.” “He’s always called me ‘dad’ since the beginning.
He looked up to me and said it with sincerity. ‘Hey, he’s my dad,’ he’s proud to show me at school. That’s one of the qualities I admire in him.”
Peter received a call on January 16, 2018, asking if he could look after the then-11-year-old for a few days. He certainly couldn’t say no as a three-year foster father at the time.
Peter was horrified after hearing the young boy’s story. “I was bawling by that point. ‘Who would do that?’ I wondered “he stated “I [knew] I had to accept him after I found out the parents’ rights had been signed off and he had nowhere to go.”
For Peter, the story has a personal connection. He was born and raised in Uganda, but at the age of ten, he ran away from his terrible family. He eventually found a parent figure who helped him succeed in school. “They took on the role of sponsor and family for me. I grew up as one of the world’s poorest individuals “Peter remarked. “I grew up in a world where no one told me I couldn’t dream or that I didn’t have a future.”
For a better life, he eventually relocated to the United States and became a citizen.
Working with the charity group World Vision United States, which aids children in impoverished areas, gave him a sense of purpose. He has been a foster parent to more than 12 children thus far. He knew he wanted to be Tony’s full-time father the moment he met him. “I had the space and resources to let him go, so there was no reason for me to let him go. I wanted to repay someone for what they had done for me by doing something good for someone else “He was willing to share.
At front of Peter’s family and friends in a Charlotte courthouse, Peter officially adopted Tony. Jessica Ward, a foster care worker, stated she played a role in Tony’s adoption.
“[Tony] had some challenges from foster care and trauma from being abandoned, so Peter knew once he brought him in, that was it,” Ward said on GMA. “Peter’s [Mutabazi] narrative is wonderful and amazing in every way. Because of Peter’s age when all of the events in his life occurred, I believe he and Tony have formed such a bond.” The father and son have a fantastic relationship and like spending time together watching movies, playing board games, reading books, and bicycling.
Source: daily.lessonslearnedinlife.com