In their own words...
1971 was a tough year for me. I lost my grandmother who had been caring for me after my father and stepmother decided it was too difficult to build a family and have to overcome issues as a family when for a price I could possibly be placed in either a children’s home or possibly foster care. After months of evaluations and hours of counseling it was determined that foster care would be a better option. This was a good thing because at the ripe old age of fourteen I had in place an elaborate plan to live at friends’ homes and work at various jobs to support myself. But that was all water under the dam as the Jewish Children’s Bureau of Cleveland connected with Andy and Dianne Ross.
After several meetings were arranged to become acquainted with each other, everyone agreed that we would try to become a foster family. Actually moving in and setting up my room was fun and I started thinking this just may work. One big issue that never was realized in all my meetings with counselors was that fact that I had bounced from school to school and was frustrated with my lousy grades. My parents were adamant that I continue in school but reality intervened and at 16 I dropped out of the tenth grade. I’m sure the Rosses were disappointed, but understanding. We had a good bond going at this stage and I really felt for the first time in years that I had a home.
Time went on and I was working full time, but still cherished the time I had at home. At eighteen Andy’s brother and I elected to move into an apartment. By this time my first foster sister had arrived on the scene and the Ross household was growing on its own. I stayed in touch with the Rosses on an almost daily basis as I kept improving my job situation, and I always knew that I could rely on them for insight on life’s daily challenges.
Soon I met my wife, married, divorced, and said goodbye to the family I had grown so close to as Andy elected for a great job out of state. Actually this wasn’t all that bad because I love to travel and this gave me an excuse to jump on a plane and visit my now two little sisters, and Andy and Dianne. As you grow older you have more of life under your belt, both good and bad, and the Ross family, me included, has always shared them as our love for each other only gets stronger.
Recently my second wife planned a surprise 50th birthday party for me. The big challenge she faced was making sure I would arrive at the place on time. The solution was simple. Set up a long overdue visit to Cleveland by the Rosses with just enough time for dinner. I fell for it hook, line, and sinker, clueless to all the preparations that went into this. I think daily where I’d be had I not had the loving care that I lacked as an adolescent until the Rosses came into my life, and I shudder at that picture. My work kept me away from home so I really was not able to pass on lessons learned from this experience, but I now wish I was able to take in a kid that needed a break. Lord knows I did.