Foster child tells math teacher 'I'm not coming back to school'—he then decides to adopt him for heart-melting reason
A teacher’s role goes beyond imparting knowledge. They are called to instill values and morals through powerful lessons and lead by example. A teacher-student bond explores the wholesome humane nature and acts as a guiding light. A middle school math teacher in Aurora, Colorado, Finn Lanning, shared a somewhat special bond with his student Damien, per CBS News. It is no secret that dealing with middle school kids can be a task but when Lanning heard why Damien couldn’t come to school any longer, he stepped in to make a difference and ended up adopting the boy. The math teacher had always been one of the favorite teachers for Damien. They had an understanding which helped them work efficiently in the classroom.
“Like leave me alone, I'll leave you alone, I'll get my work done,” Damien remarked. Lanning enjoyed being the boy’s teacher and commended him for the smart kid he was. “He’s smart and funny and he was always a student who stood out,” the teacher exclaimed. Unfortunately, one day, something changed and Damien approached his teacher saying, “I’m not coming back to school.” Taken aback by his words, Lanning went out of his way to understand what the problem was. When he sat to listen to his story, the teacher was saddened to learn that his student had a kidney issue requiring regular dialysis and treatment. Furthermore, the boy was in foster care as no family was willing to take him in with his whopping medical bills.
When things weren’t getting better, the boy had no choice but to move to a hospital. Damien required a kidney transplant which usually isn’t a flexible and smooth option for someone without a stable home. Due to several issues with this, his treatment was hindered along with his schooling. Lanning was heartbroken to discover the truth. "It hit me like a ton of bricks. I mean, you just can't sit across from somebody you care about and hear them say something like that and know that you have room to help,” the teacher said. He then decided to become a foster parent and become Damien's family to help with his education and treatment. This was never a plan for the teacher and it was not even in the wildest dreams of the student.
“I never thought I could leave school and take one of them with me and still survive," Lanning mentioned. Damien, on the other hand, was equally baffled by the idea of living with his math teacher. “I was like, 'Yes! I can get out of the hospital.' But I was like, 'My math teacher? Out of all the people?'" he recalled. With things working as best as possible, Damien didn't get his hopes up. His stay with fosters had his mind worked up into believing that everyone would eventually leave. However, this math teacher made a pact to stay and 2 years later, it’s only getting stronger. “It's been the hardest thing I've ever done but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I'll keep him,” Lanning said in an interview. The young student got his transplant and is living a healthy life together with Lanning. The teacher was also delighted to adopt him.