Sebastian Shares His Adoption Journey - Kidsave Miracles Gala 2024

Hi everyone, my name is Sebastian Barkey and I took part in Kids Save Summer Miracle program in 2018. I was born in the beautiful city of Buenos Aires in Colombia, but my childhood was far from beautiful. I grew up in a tiny two-room home that didn't even have a kitchen. My days were filled with uncertainty and abuse. To survive, I would pick coffee beans and collect firewood to sell in the hopes of buying food and I was forced to rely on the kindness of neighbors who would let me sleep over at their house for a few nights even when I had nowhere else to go. Life wasn't easy and I dreamt of having a family I could call my own. I spent three years in a foster care and I moved around a lot until I was declared adoptable and that was when I learned about Kids Save, an organization that would change my life forever. Kids Save offered me a chance to travel to America promising me a summer filled with adventure and new experiences. Little did I know how life-changing this trip would be. Traveling to America for the first time was so exciting but also nervous. At the airport, I saw this big family there to meet me. They were the sweetest family holding a welcome sign for me and surrounded me in hugs, a lot of hugs. Coming to America was like being transported to a parallel universe, one that was very, very quiet. I was so used to loud noises all day and night but here it was so quiet and then there was this other language being spoken, one I didn't really understand but this didn't stop the youngest brother, James, who was five at the time, from talking to me in English all day long. Just talking, talking, and talking without a care in the world that I didn't understand a word he was saying and that I couldn't speak English. Everything here was so different and new, like trying many new foods, like corndogs. They tasted pretty bad at the beginning but I got used to it, well some of it. I remember on the first day being taken to this strange place called Chick-fil-a and trying some of their dipping sauces and immediately feeling sick and running to the bathroom. Yeah, good times, not quite the impression I wanted to make. One thing I shared with my family was a sense of adventure. They were always up to having some fun and I remember taking a road trip to Denver and yes, being sick again as I had never been in a car for that long and visiting the Grand Canyon where us kids were more excited about a squirrel in front of us than the Grand Canyon behind us. Just creating fun memories on what I thought was a once-in-a-lifetime vacation. Little did I know this would become so much more. When I returned to Colombia, I took with me my cherished memories and the feeling of being loved. Then a few weeks later, I received a video call where the Barkeys asked me if I wanted to become part of their family, to be their son and brother. Now, I'm usually pretty cool but as I can see, I couldn't hold my emotions in. I was crying because I was really, really happy. I felt wanted and I felt loved. That call became a viral sensation with over 200 million people seeing it. That's more views than a cat playing a piano. Traveling back to America, I began my new life with my family and let me say that again, my family. I began school and started to learn English, speaking and writing at a fourth grade level in just eight months. Yeah, I'm bilingual now. I love learning and have been a consistent honor roll student. I discovered a love for American football and now play as a wide receiver for my junior varsity high school team. I also discovered what family means. It's about people who stand by you, to support you and laugh with you throughout life's ups and downs. I don't have to rely on myself. I don't have to worry about whether I'm going to have food to eat or a roof over my head when I sleep. I feel like I can try a lot of things because I have support around me and now I'm able to pursue dreams that I thought weren't an option for me before. My mom has shown me how to love with an open heart and that if you work hard towards becoming who and what you want to become, that anything is possible. My dad has taught me how to be courageous and what it means to be a man of your word. He has shown me that if you work hard, you can achieve anything. My siblings have shown me how much fun it can be to be in a large family where everyone gets along and loves each other, well most of the time. They've also shown me how great it can be. It is to have siblings as cheerleaders at my games. I never thought I would have that. As I look to the future, I see one filled with possibilities. I look forward to getting my first car and eventually having my own place. I hope to travel and experience more of the world and I know no matter where I go or what I do, I will always have a home to come back to and a family to love me. My experience with Kidsafe has taught me that every child deserves a chance to dream, to hope, and to feel like they belong, and to feel the love of family. And I want to thank you all for helping me find mine. Thank you.