Lemuel found himself living with parents who weren’t prepared to tackle the responsibilities of raising a family, including a child with special needs. The instability of his home life only exacerbated his own emotional issues. Separated from his family at age nine, he was left to deal with his loneliness while growing up in a group home.
Eventually, he found an outlet in basketball though the Special Olympics and his circle of support expanded as he grew. His developing confidence served him well as he approached the age of 21 when he knew he needed a plan for life beyond foster care. Life Sharing, where he could live with a family, become part of a community and cultivate new independence, seemed like the perfect next step. He found JEVS.
Matched with a caring provider family, Lemuel flourished. With new goals and his Life Sharing family and JEVS behind him, he no longer feels like he is “going nowhere.” School and a career in the building trades is next on his to-do list. He is well on the way to be becoming the man he hoped he could be.