Hope was previously a WFAA Wednesday’s Child in 2021 and has been in and out of foster care for seven-plus years.
FORT WORTH, Texas — At 15 years old, Hope knows what it feels like to have her heart broken. She also knows what it means to keep going, even when it’s hard.
We first introduced you to Hope as our Wednesday’s Child back in 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, she said she was losing faith that anyone would ever adopt her.
“I just feel like people don’t want me anymore. The older I get, people don’t want me,” she said at the time, through tears.
Four years later, that little girl has grown into a resilient teenager still holding on to hope and still longing for a family who will stay.
“If y’all make a promise, try to keep it,” Hope said.
Hope had a failed adoption and has now been in the system more than half her life, but she has achieved tremendous success in her current foster home.
“Guess what? I’ve been good for two whole weeks!” she said joyfully during her interview with WFAA at the Dillard’s inside Hulen Mall in Fort Worth.
With the help of generous donors, Hope got a day of retail therapy and the chance to simply enjoy being a kid. Everyone got to see her spunk, style, and sass.
“Ohhh! This is cute!” Hope shouted while picking through outfits.
“I love shopping!” she smiled. “This has been so fun!”
“I picked out cute clothes. Everybody’s really nice,” she added.
But beneath the smiles, Hope carries the weight of more than seven years in and out of foster care. Kamryn Kelly, Hope’s caseworker and one of her biggest cheerleaders, knows the road hasn’t been easy.
“It’s sad. Some of these kids have been in care for years and years. We broadcast them, and unfortunately, some things don’t work out. So, here we are again,” she said.
But Kelly says she sees what makes Hope so special.
“She’s very resilient. She’s made a lot of progress and a lot of positive changes. She really, really wants to be adopted,” Kelly said.
Hope is open about what she needs and what she doesn’t.
“I just really want somebody who’s not going to force me to do anything,” she said. “I don’t want them to force me to go to church. I want a family who’ll let me have a phone because I’m 15. I want them to teach me how to drive.”
She says she wants a family who listens, understands, and stays.
“Trauma is going to come up forever,” Kelly said. “It affects the brain in so many ways, and throughout adulthood, you’re going to see it.”
Kelly stresses the need for trauma-informed parents who won’t give up when things get tough.
“We want families who are patient, who have grace. Hope has been through so much. She deserves unconditional love,” she said.
Hope is hilarious, creative, and full of ambition.
“She’s funny. She loves to make people laugh. She loves animals,” Kelly said. “One of my favorite stories is when Hope figured out how to go online and apply for a cat named Waffles at a local animal shelter!”
“She’s so resourceful,” Kelly added.
Hope dreams of becoming a CEO.
“I want to make a cat café. And I want to make a Walmart, but way cheaper!” said Hope.
When she’s not building big plans, she enjoys watching anime and Billie Eilish videos.
“She still hasn’t gotten me Billie Eilish tickets, so I’m sad,” she joked about Kelly.
Hope knows she’s more than her past.
“She always says, ‘If you could tell anyone about me, please say this: Don’t label me by what I’ve been through. Let me show you who I am,'” Kelly shared.
Hope is bright, bold, and beautifully herself.
“She self-identifies as unapologetically Hope,” Kelly said. “I’m hopeful for Hope, and Hope is hopeful for Hope. Out of all the kids in the world, she deserves a family who’s going to love her, teach her how to drive, take her to her extracurricular activities.”
Hope has waited a long time. She’s still waiting and still dreaming of what it will feel like to be chosen.
She ended her day with a hug, a smile, and one last message: “Love you!”
If you are interested in finding out more about Hope, please contact the Heart Gallery of North Texas at 817-809-3440 or email them at hello@heartgallerynorthtexas.org. Please include Hope’s name in the subject line.
A special thanks to the following stores at Hulen Mall:
To read more Wednesday’s Child stories, click here.