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Finding Avery his Forever Home

Posted at 4:49 PM, Jul 08, 2015
and last updated 2015-07-08 16:49:13-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – As we continue our Forever Home series, FOX 17 News features a child in the Michigan Foster Care System who is at greater risk of never being adopted. As kids get closer to their eighteenth birthday, it can cause stress knowing they “age out” of the system at 18-years-old.

This week we introduce you to Avery, 12, who made a simple but important statement: “Everybody is important, and abuse isn’t right.”

Spend an afternoon with Avery, and you will quickly learn he’s a bit of a history buff.

“[King Tut] was the greatest king of Egypt,” said Avery. “That’s the chariot he drove.”

Enamored with the King Tut exhibit at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, Avery said he loves to learn.

“I think the things they put in [museums] are really cool: you get to learn about pirates, or mummies and stuff that I learn about,” said Avery.

In fact, Avery is really smart.

“I always get like A’s and B’s,” said Avery.

At school, Avery said he loves writing and art, and that, “I’m a creative person.”

His talents are far-reaching: he enjoys sports like swimming and baseball, and said he recently learned to sew and loves it.

“I like to do a run-on stitch and we learned how to make different things,” said Avery.

But now that school is out, summer can be a difficult with spending more time in his group home. When FOX 17 asked what living there is like, Avery put his thumb down.

When asked what he really wants, Avery said it’s to have parents of his own one day to spend time with, and even plan a camping trip together.

“[I hope to have] video game night, or on the weekends and on the weekdays we can play board games and watch TV together,” said Avery.

Avery’s true wish is something every child needs.

“Family that isn’t disrespectful, and isn’t abusive, more caring,” said Avery.

If your family would like to learn more about Avery, adoption, or would like to start the adoption process, please call Orchards Children’s Services at: 1 (855) 694-7301.

FOX 17 News would like to give a special thanks to the Grand Rapids Public Museum for this taping.