A Family for Me: Johnathan

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - Meet Johnathan. He’s a 15-year-old student at Greene County Tech with plenty of interests.

Whether it’s football, rugby, fishing, or any other activity, Johnathan is always ready for a good time.

Another of those interests is horses. So Reporter Chase Gage and Johnathan both saddled up and went to the Arkansas State University Equine Center for an afternoon of fun.

Around the animals, Johnathan was a natural. He got to help groom the horses, walk a 7-month-old filly, and of course, go for a ride on a horse named Tex.

He and Tex hit it off immediately, bonding throughout the afternoon.

While there, Johnathan also received several gift bags full of some clothes, as well as some tools, a ball signed by A-State’s Rugby team, and plenty more.

Still, Johnathan said his favorite part was the ride. For him, it was the perfect escape.

“It feels good because I don’t get to do it that often. It feels like I’m right back home,” he said. “Really, I don’t have anything going through my head whenever I’m on a horse, because if I do, they can sense that. So I just leave it at the gate.”

Jonathan is in foster care for the second time. His journey has been one that few could endure, yet he’s kept a positive attitude throughout.

“He actually came to us with some unfortunate circumstances. He had been adopted previously, and his adoptive parents passed away and there was no family to take him in. So he’s been with us ever since,” said Haley Bratton, Johnathan’s family service worker. “In that time, he’s had six placements. None of the movements was his fault, which is very unheard of in foster care.”

Even though doing an on-camera interview was a little out of his comfort zone, Johnathan said he’s willing to do whatever it takes to find the family for him and that he won’t give up until he does.

He’s a passionate, fun-loving teenager, and all he wants is a family to share that love and passion with.

“They ask a whole lot of questions, and one of them was, ‘Johnathan, how do you feel about getting adopted again?’ And he said, ‘Just let them know I’m ready when they are,’” Bratton said.

“Ever since my grandparents passed on,” Johnathan started, “That’s all I’ve wanted is a forever family.”

For more information about Johnathan or about the adoption process, you can visit Project Zero’s website.

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