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Foster care child shares story
Published Saturday, July 19, 2008
NATCHEZ — Beaten, broken and bruised, like a phoenix from the ashes Terry Morris prevailed.
And, like many, Morris attributes his success to the people who raised him. But in this case the nurturing didn’t come from his parents, but from the Mississippi foster care system.
Morris, now a rocket scientist for NASA, spoke at the Lookin’ to the Future Conference Friday afternoon and shared his story of trials, tribulations and finally, triumph.
Born in Chicago, Morris’s father left his family when Morris was only 4 years old, sending his mother into a rage that was taken out on him all too frequently.
“I remember several times I would get beat by extension cords and switches and her yelling his name,” he said.
Every time something went wrong he was blamed.
“She would say, ‘You’re stupid, you’re ignorant and everything is your fault,’” he said. “I was only 5.”
Whenever the finger was pointed at him, it was the norm to throw him out on the streets where he would live for weeks at a time, sleeping on ice and snow and strategically extracting food from garbage cans.
He shocked the crowd with tales of always sleeping with one eye open to be aware of the “super rats” that even cats and dogs were afraid of.
For some reason, this torture never befell his other siblings.
“I was the black sheep,” he said.
From the time his father left until he was 13 years old, Morris suffered a myriad of afflictions forced on him by his family.
“I was pushed off a three-story building, I was sexually abused, had knives through my hands, nails through my feet, I’ve been hit by three cars,” he said. “You just about name it, I’ve experienced it.”
Finally his family, not out of compassion but sheer intolerance, got rid of him for good.
“They drove me down to Tupelo, opened the door, kicked me out and drove back to Chicago,” he said.
Completely stranded, Morris found himself living much like he did on the streets of Chicago.
Months later, his plight was made known to Tupelo’s child welfare organization and he was scooped up into a system that would eventually turn out a rocket scientist.
“I’ve never received so much love in my life as I have when I came to Mississippi,” he said,
Morris is a living, breathing product of what Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth and the Mississippi Department of Human Services, the hosts of the conference, strive to accomplish.
“I’m here today because there were many people who contributed to many aspects of my life,” Morris said.
The Lookin’ to the Future conference brought more than 800 people affiliated with Southern Christian Services for Children and the Mississippi Department of Human Services.
Comments
Posted by BOBCAT1974 (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 12:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm glad the system helped you out and that you turned you're life around.But for others it was a horrible mess.My sister-in-law turned out ok, the scares that she carries will be with her till the day she dies,from one foster care to another.Every kind of abuse you can imagine happened to her and her syblings.Where was the system at when they needed help? It's sad some get it and some don't.
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 12:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sadder than that bobcat1974 that a parent would do something to where that's where there child would end up at..
Posted by teacher (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 7:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Amen fire39212.
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 8:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This story is very encouraging and I hope kids are reading it. This is why I don't accept excuses from kids who may have it "all" so to speak nor the ones who did have it hard. Some have a nice two parent home where they are nutured yet still want to act out to the point where you see that they are heading for trouble and their lives as an adult will be one filled with misery. There is something in the human condition that can make it rise above the negative or dwell and lie in it. The choice is up to each person.
Posted by sunkitty (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 9:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr. Morris possesses incredible inner strength and perserverance. Most impressive!
I agree with you Teach4Peace - good post.
Posted by sunkitty (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 9:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
oops - I think spelled a word incorrectly- possesses?
Hum - spell check says it's correct - ok
Posted by sunkitty (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 9:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
perseverance - that was it!
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 10:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sunkitty, relax, we know what you mean, we make mistakes! :)
Posted by skippydammit (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 10:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
A few questions:
Who oversees the 'overseers' within the system
who care for the children?
Is there any kind of background check to protect
these kids from child abusers?
It would be horrible for children to be taken out
of one form of abuse only to enter yet another
which is "state sanctioned".
Just curious.
:)
Posted by oldschool (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 10:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well I am glad things worked out for you, but other I know about and from experience it did not. I did Foster care for a while but the state would come in and take the kids back to put them right back into the same situation they came out of. It was sad and all the hours waisted in the court system for these parents who's kids were taken from them for them to say I am ready for my children to come back home and no new measures were taken and the kids suffered more. I had a two sisters and the state went back and fourth with them so many times it was horrible. Now the step father is in prison for rape and the MOTHER received nothing. The biological father had signed over all rights to his children so he would not have to pay child support and the mother knew very well what was going on. That is why these kids were taken from their house. It was sad. I spent a lot of my own money until I could not afford it anymore to fight for these two girls. They are grown now and they still call about once a week. I tried and it still hurts today but the STATE over powered me BUT THE GIRLS knew I tried. I finally left the Foster CHild program due to this cause it hurt so bad to watch this. I almost was arrested one time when I confronted the step father and Mother Like I said IT was SAD.
The packsge is good at times but at most it is a horrible situation.
Posted by overthehill60 (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 2:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just to think there are millions of children just like this chidd that don't make it.
Terry Morris is a good example that good does come to some people & there is always hope.
With the price of living so high we still have it good compared to some people.
Posted by blessed_momma (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 4:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What an AWESOME testimony! Praise God! May God continue to bless you in every possible way! Thank you for sharing your testimony. You have really touched my heart. Im so sorry that you had to endure so much pain and hatred. Im just so thankful that God delivered you and placed you in a loving home! God bless you!
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 4:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm glad he made good, but like many of you on here I had a bad experience with the program. We took a teenage girl who had been raped by her brother-in-law while she was living with her sister. They got divorced, the girl was put back with her sister, and guess who is still living there? But when I tried to bring this to the attention of the case worker, I was told that legally they were divorced and there was nothing else I could do.
Posted by thelorax (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 7:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Foster care is clogged up, the system SHOULD work but it doesn't. Adoption is too hard these days, it is unreal to try and adopt any child and get them out of the foster care system. Most children age out in the system... sad but true.
It is not like when I was adopted in the 60's. You have to be proven for sainthood before you can adopt.
Between age requirements, and other bureaucracy, people start to look overseas to extend their family.
It is a shame.A crying shame.
It is good to hear someone made it and made it well.
Good luck to Terry and may God Bless him.
Posted by noneya (anonymous) on July 20, 2008 at 12:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
He may be a rocket scientist, but I can't help but wonder about his private life...if he was mistreated, does he mistreat? I feel for all your trials, Mr. Morris and I sincerly hope they have made a good man of you, not just a smart one. You have been blessed and I, for one, am grateful you are showing your gratitude to the ones that have helped you by giving your testimony and shedding light on the foster care system. Sometimes the foster parents are the ones that are hurt by the children and sometimes its the foster parents that hurt the children. Our world isn't a perfect one and all we can do is live OUR OWN LIFE in a manner that is true.
Posted by buttercup26 (anonymous) on July 20, 2008 at 11:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
awe... way to pull through rocket scienctist! way to pull through
Posted by Sant (anonymous) on July 21, 2008 at 1:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Happy for you. A lot of kids that make it, give all the credit to there foster family's. But when thy fail I think there taught to blame there bio-parents. My story is a lot like yours, almost to a T...I didn't have the successful ending that you have, but I am loved by so many. I was treated even worse in foster home's, till the last one. I've had them in my life since 1975, I'm 41 now. Just found my brothers and sisters in 2005, God I mist them so(& them me). The system does fail a lot of these kids, not the kids failing. Thy have to teach them self respect so thy can achieve all there goals. Not just getting them ready for there independents. Most all these kids are great, I know thy all can make it. If everybody gave a little of there time and not money. Some times thy just need someone to talk to, or just spend time with them. God Bless The Children.
Lost in Wyoming
Posted by Barrister (anonymous) on July 21, 2008 at 7:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Some of you are so negative. . .the man is a rocket scientist but you wanna know is he nice? What you gonna do about it? Provide therapy???? The object of this story is highlight one of hundreds of foster care success stories. It has not been suggested that foster care is perfect. How could it be? But, it is better than children being housed in a shelter. The truth is, children as supposed to be raised and nurtured at home by their parents. DHS and courts have to step in when the child is being abused or neglected. Unless the abuse or neglect is very severe, they are mandated by law to work to put the family back together. Unfortunately, there is no crystal ball available that will tell if a sister is going to reintroduce a child's rapist after she has gone through hours of parenting classes, support group meetings and, more than likely, agreed to no longer associate with the person. To those who has served as foster parents and have been frustrated, understand that the law dictates what happens to children in custody and that the goal is to return children home, if possible.
Posted by Sant (anonymous) on July 21, 2008 at 8:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"Barrister" I sense a lot of anger from you? Were you a foster parent? If so a lot of these kids(and my self) have a lot of isshows. I speak up know after 31yrs., it's not all foster family's. It's DCFS in Il., that fail the children & some of the foster families. There not all in it for the money, but the kindness of there hearts. I try to feel what your saying, but I was on the other side and lived it. There are still real genuine people out there, I'm thankful for that.
Lost in Wyoming
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on July 21, 2008 at 8:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Barrister, as far as I know the sister never went to any classes or support group meetings. She divorced, the court said the child should return home to her "family" and the ex moved back in. The girl got preg. at 16 by an older man, however she did marry him and now at 18 has 2 babies. She still keeps in touch and we support her as much as we can - no judgement, just love and friendship.
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