Emergency: Riker Needs a Family!
Could this handsome boy be your son?
This is 13-year-old Riker. He was adopted from Ukraine in 2003 by a family living in Illinois. Riker's adoptive mom recently found out that her triple negative breast cancer (a rare and aggressive form of cancer) has recurred and spread and the situation is critical. Riker's family does not have the energy to walk through more chemo and cancer treatments and help Riker with his RAD (reactive attachment disorder) issues.
Riker's adoptive family is desperately seeking a new family for him.
Riker is currently in respite care in Illinois. The family is not interested in finding a different respite situation; they know Riker needs a permanent home, a forever family, ASAP. The family will need to be experienced with RAD issues (see Riker's profile below).
Please broadcast Riker's story on your blogs and Facebook and any other way you can get the message out that this precious boy needs a family immediately! And please keep Riker's adoptive mom in your prayers as well. Thank you!
Here is the info that was posted about Riker last summer on the CHASK website:
We are looking for a family to adopt our son Riker. Riker was adopted from Ukraine 6 ½ years ago and is now 13. He is in the 7th grade.
Riker is very bright and does well in school mostly A’s with little work involved. Unfortunately he has not attached to our family. Riker loves to read, draw, play sports and video games. Riker is very athletic, football and basketball are is specialty. Riker is very healthy.
Riker craves positive attention but does not like to be called on area of weaknesses. Riker would benefit from a very structured environment, our house is very chaotic and is not a good fit for someone who needs a routine. He does great when school is in session and benefits from the routine. He is a little lost on weekends when that routine goes away. Unfortunately my wife has been battling breast cancer for the last 2 years and the additional stress of caring for Riker has taken a toll on our family.
Riker has a problem with stealing and then lies to cover up being caught. He realizes stealing is wrong but cannot seem to stop. He has never been arrested as most of the stealing involved money from us. He also shows no remorse. He can be impulsive but has shown improvement in this area.
He plays well with other children and is very personable but does not seem to follow through on making friends of his own. Riker has been diagnosed with RAD and needs a fresh start. If you feel Riker would be a fit for your family please contact us at jeff@jeffelston.net. ***This has been reposted from THIS PAGE with full permission for all of us to spread this on FB & BLogland. PLEASE LIFT THIS young man up in prayer! This is the young man I talked about in yesterday's post.
Oh, I hope this precious child finds a new home SOON! Thanks for sharing this special need.
ReplyDeleteJust reposted this and praying!
ReplyDeleteSo hard to read this. I know God must have a perfect place for this sweet boy. Praying for him tonight.
ReplyDeleteOh...this just breaks my heart. Praying...
ReplyDeletePraying for Riker and his family!
ReplyDeleteI sure hope this little guy finds a home..but i must say advertising him...to me feels kind of cold.
ReplyDeleteIn Canada we do not profile a child with their pictures...however they do hold adoptions conferences where the child's profile is available as well as videos and pictures but just to go you have to apply and take classes etc.
I think is really an invasion of this young boy's privacy.
Praying for his parents. Thanks for posting this.
ReplyDeletePraying that this little boy finds his FOREVER family!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more with mommytoalot. Why show his picture to the world? You know I have a heart for kids like Riker but his picture should be removed. Just my $.02.
ReplyDeleteTo all those who think I should not post a picture. I hear your thoughts....yes it is true it would be GREAT if we didn't have to post this at all! It would be great if all children had a HOME! It would be great to not "advertise" children.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet....It would also be great to see his face. To know that this child I have asked everyone to pray for has a real face. HE IS REAL! HE NEEDS A HOME! He needs to know that he is not alone in this world.
When I see his face- I think to myself what a precious child of GOD a REAL CHILD with a REAL NEED!
His picture has been posted before on chask.org, there are millions of pictures on the internet of children that need homes.
I pray to not offend you, but just simply to keep doing what I know to be right- PRAYING for ALL CHILDREN THAT NEED HOMES. Sorry if this is offensive. If you know my heart you know that is not what my intentions are. Sorry if this is you I ask that you read my blog- that you know my HEART and not judge. Thank you....
I am praying for Riker! I remember seeing him on the CHASK site. I have been reading your blog for some time now and I love it!
ReplyDeleteI found my daughter on a national foster care website and I thank God each day that I saw her face...We are now a family and like it or not, it is an effective way of finding homes for children who have special needs and are waiting for a family of their own.
ReplyDeletePraying for this young man and his family.
Some people think they know everything. Good grief. Give it a rest. She is just reposting to help. Reece's Rainbow posts photos of kids. As do MANY other adoption websites.
ReplyDelete