real life

Orphaned boy begs for parents: "I'll take anyone"

When Davion stood in front of a 300-strong congregation at St Mark Missionary Baptist Church in St Petersburg, Florida he was desperate. The 15-year-old had spent his whole life in foster care and wanted nothing more than a normal family life.

He announced: "My name is Davion and I've been in foster care since I was born ... I know God hasn't given up on me. So I'm not giving up either."

"Old or young, dad or mom, black, white, purple. I'll take anyone. "

"I'll be really appreciative."

He never expected the outpouring of support he would receive from around the world.

Since his heart-felt plea in front of his church, world-wide attention in newspapers, on television and across social media sites has resulted in more than 10,000 requests to adopt him.

"Some of them already have [the required] adoptive-home setting," Connie Going, his grateful caseworker, told The View yesterday.

Davion was born while his mother was in jail and has been placed in foster care more times than he can count. But none of the arrangements lasted and he has never found his 'forever family'. He's been rejected more times than he can count.

His full name is Davion Navar Henry Only and he knows the meaning of all of his names - beloved, brown, ruler of the home, the one and only. And yet he feels anything but beloved. In three years time he can move out and live on his own instead of with 12 other foster kids who all sharing a bathroom and struggle with their own issues. But he's not counting down the day. Before he comes of age, Davion wants a family of his own so he can be normal.

Earlier this year he decided to track down his birth mother, only to find she had died in June, just before he began his search.

At first he became depressed and angry. Then he realised, with a maturity beyond his years, that he was the only one who could make his dreams come true. He buckled down at school and finished Year 10, scoring As in all subjects except geometry. He lost 18 kilos. And he figured out a plan to find a family to take care of him.

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He decided to beg for the life he's been dreaming of. He wants parents who drop him off at football practice and do all the things normal parents do. He stood up in front of a 300-strong congregation at his church and made his plea.

''I know they're out there," he told his caseworker Connie. Though he is shy, he said he wanted to talk at a church. "Maybe if someone hears my story ... "

He almost lost his nerve, telling Connie that he'd changed his mind, but he steeled himself and did it.

Davion has people in his life who care for him - Connie, his mentor Richard Prince, a former foster care child. But he knows he deserves more.

And it looks like he's finally going to get it.

"It would make me feel really good," Only told The View when asked about about the thousands of families interested in caring for him. "I think I would be more successful and have more opportunity if I had a family and I hope that I do have one.

"I'm going to try to go to college. The government says I'll be able to get a free college tuition and I'll use that to get a Bachelor[s]."

He also took a moment to show his appreciation for everyone who cared for him previously.

"I would like to thank all the group homes and foster homes that I had in the past that took good care of me."

What an amazing kid!

Are you a foster carer? Tell us what motivated you to take the step.