Wednesday’s Child Joey Has Gone From Ukraine Orphanage To Utah Foster Care

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – KSL TV is committed to raising awareness about children lingering in the foster care system. For many, time is running out for them to be adopted.

This week’s Wednesday’s Child is Joey. He’s excited about trying new things and going outside his comfort zone. He’s never played golf before, but wanted to give it a try. He got the opportunity to spend the day at TopGolf.

Swinging a golf club for the first time can be a little intimidating.

“How many points do I have?” asked Joey as he began golfing.

It can be especially intimidating when you’re surrounded by people who’ve spent years perfecting their form.

“Hey, I got it!” he said excitedly to those watching.

The 19-year-old may know more about basketball than golf.

“I love the Jazz, they’re so good,” he said.

However, he’s willing to give anything a shot.

Joey says he was born in the Ukraine, where he lived in an orphanage as a child.

“I got shipped down here from another family, but they didn’t want me, so I got shipped to another family, they didn’t want me,” he said. “I had some hard times.”

Moving from house to house would be a challenge for anyone, especially when it’s seemed like there’s no end in sight.

“It’s just difficult because I’ve been in it so long,” he said.

There’s only one thing he wants out of life.

“I want a family so I can be out of foster care.”

And when you ask what that family might look like, Joey didn’t even hesitate.

“Someone that loves me,” he said with a grin.

He may need to work on his golf game.

“I could practice more and try to get out to those points.”

Joey thinks he has more than enough practice at waiting for a place to call home.

“I’d just like being in a family that cares about me,” he said.

To learn more about Joey or any of the many other children living in the Utah Foster Care system, contact The Utah Adoption Exchange at 801-265-0444.