11 Year Old Was Abandoned By His Adoptive Parents, Then An Unlikely Hero Steps In Last Minute

eleven-year-old was abandoned by his adoptive parents then an unlikely hero steps in last minute [Music] back in 2018 a young boy named anthony found himself all alone in the world his parents put him up for adoption when he was just four years old but instead of finding a loving family he bounced around the foster system for seven years however just when things were looking utterly hopeless one phone call connected him with a stranger who would change his life forever looking back tony can't quite believe how far he's come social worker jessica ward barely knew what to do with anthony his most recent foster parents had flat out left him at a hospital in charlotte north carolina and the 11 year old boy had nowhere to go still jessica knew there was one man in the area that might be able to help them out for a weekend so she gave them a call if this didn't work they would be at a dead end ward asked peter matabazi a local foster parent if anthony could stay with him that weekend it wouldn't be anything long term she insisted the boy's story tugged at peter's heartstrings so even though he wasn't completely sold on the idea he drove over to the hospital right away peter seemed to take to anthony as no other adults had then again he was a pro when it came to helping kids for three years muda bazi had dedicated himself to being a foster father and helping those in the system but he wasn't so keen on taking anthony in it first while talking to love what matters mutabazi explained there might have been a possibility anthony never came into his life previously he had been fostering two young brothers for seven months the week before anthony mudabazi learned the siblings would be reunited with their birth parents mudabazi had been grieving their departure but he figured accepting anthony into his home would help them both peter mudabazi agreed to look over anthony for only a weekend he couldn't deal with another emotional connection that might be eventually stripped by the end of those few days mudabazi learned the negligence committed by the young boy's adoptive parents another revelation made it even more tragic it had not been the only time anthony's parents had behaved so recklessly peter mudabazi found that they had abandoned anthony's other adopted siblings several years earlier on top of that mudabazi's history with the foster care system had not prepared him for caring for an older child like tony still it was certainly beneficial that mudabazi had a background in helping children he worked at world vision united states a non-profit organization that aided children who lived in vulnerable areas alongside that he had a high success record of helping the foster children that came through his doors that weekend proved to be a life-changing one at the start he had almost believed he would only allow anthony to pass through his life by the end a real bond had formed between them peter even opened up to the boy about his own difficult past peter mudabazi grew up in uganda living in a tough household unable to afford daily food rations his family ate from their garden they were poverty stricken having to live in constant survival mode his father only worsened matters being verbally and physically abusive to everyone when he was 10 years old peter's father ordered him to go out and purchase cigarettes but when the pack got ruined on the way back fear made peter decide to run away he took a bus and fled further into uganda into an unknown world finding refuge in a city peter mudabazi joined other children who lived on the streets they offered free labor in order to get close enough to steal small rations of food in the markets one day mudabazi met a family who changed his life forever the family gave food to peter without him having to steal or even ask for it for almost a year this continued then by the end of the year they arrived with an opportunity they wanted to put him into school he accepted knowing he would get meals but the decision paved the way to the career and life mudabazi now had on good morning america peter said they became my sponsor family i grew up the poor of the poorest people on the planet i grew up where no one told me to dream that there was no future for me these heroes might have inspired murubazi to become a foster father too peter mudabazi went to high school then college and later became an american citizen even after fostering 12 children he sensed a special connection with anthony with the right resources at his disposal mudabazi could help anthony's life turn around not unlike what peter went through and after learning that the boy's parents had completely signed away their custody rights peter left to a decision peter planned to adopt anthony munobazi told love what matters all the promises of a forever family were thrown out the window and this young boy was left alone abandoned frightened and crushed emotionally the worst part of all he didn't know when or if they were ever coming back for him because he was not in on the plan they orchestrated to abandon their child [Music] best of all anthony was overjoyed by the news of course the adoption process wouldn't happen overnight peter and anthony waded through two long years for paperwork and meetings they hoped nobody from tony's past would try to throw a wrench into their plans fortunately by 2020 the toughest obstacles were behind them the adoption was made official in a courthouse filled with peter's close ones who by then were anthony's close ones too the father-son duo have enjoyed many new experiences since then peter moudabazi talked about anthony on good morning america he's the nicest smartest kid i've ever had he beamed from day one he's always called me dad he truly meant it and he looks up to me he's proud to show me at school and say hey he's my dad that's something that i love about him the father and son have enjoyed simple activities made all the better by being together they can often be found bicycling watching movies and playing board games after the lonely upbringings they both had sharing such small moments provided a special comfort the results were clear in tony's development as well mudabazi proudly told love what matters about the progress anthony has made within 19 months he read through over 500 books within school church and the foster community anthony made numerous friends it was everything he ever dreamed of peter mudabazi never stopped his involvement with fostering either peter now had anthony's help in taking care of the 11 foster kids that came through their doors during the past three years both had brought out the best in each other now they're making a difference for other kids navigating the harsh realities of the foster system [Music] [Music] you