A Bond That Became Family: The Power of Real Connections

Written By: Max Nylen, Ben Fagan, Tyler Nelson, and Caden Dehbi 

This blog post was written in collaborations with Bryant University students who partnered with Foster Forward for their Gen Ed Capstone Class.

Eileen has been retired for seven years, but she has not slowed down. She has stayed active by helping with Foster Forward, an organization she really believes in. Her connection to the program started when her husband, Ed, who has since passed away, signed up to be a mentor in their Real Connections Program after retiring. At first, Eileen was only offering support from the sidelines, but she quickly became more involved. 

Now, even after Ed’s passing, Eileen continues to support Foster Forward, as she loves the mission and is eager to share her story with others. When asked to talk about her time with the program, she said she was “thrilled to tell her story.” 

After a few failed mentor relationships, Ed and Eileen were paired with Walter. It started off like any other mentor relationship, spending time together, getting to know each other, and forming a basic connection. However, Ed and Eileen quickly realized that their relationship with Walter was different than their past experiences as mentors. Their relationship moved to a deeper level as Ed and Walter shared their passions with each other, giving Walter the joy he was looking for in his life. 

Over time, Walter progressively spent more time with Eileen and Ed, whether it was coming to dinner, going fishing with Ed, or attending the karate classes they enrolled him in. Walter began staying the night at their house, where he found the comfort, safety, and stability that he did not have in the group home. Eventually, Eileen and Ed applied to become the foster parents of Walter after he asked them to take him in full time. From here, their relationship only strengthened, as Walter viewed Eileen and Ed as parent figures in his life. 

Unfortunately, soon after Eileen and Ed became Walter’s foster parents, Ed was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Not wanting Walter to undergo the stress and anxiety of losing a loved one, they sat down with Walter and discussed possibly putting him back in the group home so he would not have to watch Ed suffer. Despite this, Walter wanted to stay and support them in any way he could, emphasizing how much he cared for them. Sadly, Ed passed away in 2019 from his cancer, but Eileen’s relationship with Walter remained strong. They were there for each other during this hard time, furthering their relationship with each other. 

Today, Walter is 21 years old and was recently reunited with his parents. He currently lives with his dad in another state. However, his relationship with Eileen has not changed one bit. The two talk to each other weekly and even visit each other occasionally. Eileen’s relationship with Walter has been nothing but inspiring, as it started out as a mentorship and developed over time into a parent-child dynamic. Walter’s story is a great example of how the Real Connections program can positively impact foster kids and get them on the right path. Eileen acknowledges that she and Ed were extremely lucky with their relationship with Walter, as these mentorships do not always end the way Walter’s did. 

Walter’s journey with Ed and Eileen is a testament to the power of mentorship and the lasting impact of meaningful connections. What began as a simple pairing through the Real Connections program evolved into a life-changing bond that provided Walter with the love, support, and stability he needed. Walter’s story serves as a powerful reminder of the difference that committed mentors can make in a child’s life, offering hope, guidance, and a sense of belonging that lasts far beyond the program itself. 

While it is nice to read about and listen to success stories, it’s always important to remember what makes these miracles happen: the support of the community. Without support from Foster Forward, Eileen and Ed would not have had the opportunity or training needed to support Walter as he grew up. Additionally, without the community, Foster Forward would not be able to continue operations and, as a result, would not be able to support the foster kids and adults that lean on them in times of strife.  

Eileen’s journey with Walter is a testament to the profound impact that mentorship can have on a child’s life. But for every success story like theirs, there are many more children still waiting for a mentor to step in and make a difference. Foster Forward depends on the generosity and commitment of community members willing to invest their time and energy in these young lives. By becoming a mentor, you have the power to provide stability, encouragement, and guidance to a child in need—potentially changing the course of their future. Eileen believes that if more people step up, the program can continue to grow, securing the funding and resources needed to support even more foster youth. “If you just help one kid at a time,” she says, “we could create a different world.” Now is the time to take action and be part of that change.

The mentee’s name has been altered for privacy reasons.