Hi everyone, My name is Dawn and I've been raising my grandson since he was 3 and he just turned 11. Both of his parents were heroin addicts. His father died from an overdose this past September. His mom is a recovering addict, but that just brings new problems to a little boys life. Robbie's mom got married, moved in with her husband at his parents and they have a little boy that just turned one. I think it was easier to explain to him that the drugs were in control and that's why he couldn't be with either of them. He accepted that answer and I explained that they had boo boos on the inside that they had to fix. I think that was easy for him to understand since he was in the car while she purchased drugs. She would shoot up and go unconsciousness. He remembers screaming because he was so scared. My daughter did drugs with a friend who had a little girl that was only a few days younger then Robbie. He remembers searching in the lower cabinets looking for food to feed him and the little girl while his mom and her friend were passed out with needles still in their arms. He was only 2 years old and it broke my heart. I got the call to come get him and we spent the next 5 years in court trying to keep him protected. It was a very emotional fight, but he is well worth it. I come from severe abuse as a child and adult so Robbie and I have that special bond. I have loved and protected him from everything I possibly could. Now that his dad died, my daughter has agreed to allow us to adopt him. Robbie wants to be adopted so bad and we really want to make him our son. Unfortunately I am disabled due to my abuse and i just don't ever see me getting the money to make our dream come true. His mom didn't bond with him and he just wants a mom. A real and legal mom. I want to be his legal mom so no one, especially my daughter, can hurt him or come after him if I make her mad. How do you explain to a boy why his mom is taking care of the baby but doesn't want him? I remember one night we were talking about his mom on drugs and he looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, "you saved my life." You could hear my heart breaking. He suffers from severe anxiety and he's the most sensitive kid I've ever known and you just want to keep him safe from everything. He suffers from separation anxiety and that's quite a challenge. This boy had seen more in his short life then most people experience in a lifetime.

I really want to make his dream of having a permanent legal family come true. I want him to have a mom that he deserves and I want that to be me. He's such a good boy and I love him with all of my heart and soul. We're both in counseling for what we've been through and we're healing together. He even wants to change his name and he's trying to find a name that he loves. He wants our last name of course.

I pray that there are kind and generous people that will help close this chapter of his life and let us make him our official son. Thank you in advance for any help you can give us. Please help us shine a light for Robbie and give him the family he deserves.

God bless

Dawn