Back in 2018, a young boy named Anthony found himself all alone in the world. His parents put him up for adoption when he was just four years old, but instead of finding a loving family, he bounced around the foster system for seven years until eventually, one foster family abandoned him completely. Just when things were looking utterly hopeless, one phone call connected him with a stranger who would change his life forever.
Social worker Jessica Ward barely knew what to do with Anthony. His most recent foster parents had flat-out left him at a hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the 11-year-old boy had nowhere to go. Jessica had one last option, just to get Anthony some care for the weekend while she figured out hi’s next placement. If this didn’t work, She’d be at a dead end.
Jessica asked Peter Mutabazi, a local foster parent, if Anthony could stay with him that weekend. It wouldn’t be anything long-term, she insisted. The boy’s story tugged at Peter’s heartstrings, so even though he wasn’t completely sold on the idea, he drove over to the hospital.
Right away, Peter seemed to take to Anthony as no other adults had. Then again, he was a pro when it came to helping kids. For three years, Mutabazi had dedicated himself to being a foster father and helping those in the system. But he wasn’t so keen on taking Anthony in at first.
While talking to Love What Matters, Mutabazi explained there might have been a possibility Anthony never came into his life. Previously, he had been fostering two young brothers for seven months. The week before Anthony, Mutabazi learned the siblings would be reunited with their birth parents. Mutabazi had been grieving their departure, but he figured accepting Anthony into his home would help them both.
Peter Mutabazi agreed to look over Anthony for only a weekend. He couldn’t deal with another emotional connection that might be eventually stripped. By the end of those few days, Mutabazi learned the negligence committed by the young boy’s adoptive parents. Another revelation made it even more tragic.
It had not been the only time Anthony’s parents had behaved so recklessly. Peter Mutabazi found that they had abandoned Anthony’s other adopted sibling several years earlier. On top of that, Mutabazi’s history with the foster care system had not prepared him for caring for an older child like Tony.
Still, it was certainly beneficial that Mutabazi had a background in helping children. He worked at World Vision United States, a nonprofit organization that aided children who lived in vulnerable areas. Alongside that, he had a high success record of helping the foster children that came through his doors.
That weekend proved to be a life-changing one. At the start, he had almost believed he would only allow Anthony to pass through his life. By the end, a real bond had formed between them. Peter even opened up to the boy about his own difficult past.
Peter Mutabazi grew up in Uganda, living in a tough household. Unable to afford daily food rations, his family ate from their garden. They were poverty-stricken, having to live in constant survival mode. His father only worsened matters, being verbally and physically abusive to everyone.
When he was ten years old, Peter’s father ordered him to go out and purchase cigarettes. But when the pack got ruined on the way back, fear made Peter decide to run away. He took a bus and fled further into Uganda, an unknown world to the young boy.
Finding refuge in a city, Peter Mutabazi joined other children who lived on the streets. They offered free labor in order to get close enough to steal small rations of food in the markets. One day, Mutabazi met a family who changed his life forever.
The family gave food to Peter without him having to steal or even ask for it. For almost a year, this continued. Then by the end of the year, they arrived with an opportunity. They wanted to put him into school. He accepted, knowing he would get meals. But the decision paved the way to the career and life Mutabazi now had.
On Good Morning America, Peter said, “They became my sponsor, my family. I grew up the poor of the poorest people on the planet. I grew up where no one told me to dream, that there was no future for me.” These heroes might have inspired Mutabazi to become a foster father too.
Peter Mutabazi went to high school, then college, and later became an American citizen. Even after fostering twelve children, he sensed a special connection with Anthony. With the right resources at his disposal, Mutabazi could help Anthony’s life turn around, not unlike what Peter went through. And after learning that the boy’s parents had completely signed away their custody rights, Peter leaped to a decision.
Peter planned to adopt Anthony. Mutabazi told Love What Matters, “All the promises of a forever family were thrown out the window and this young boy was left alone, abandoned, frightened, and crushed emotionally. The worst part of all, he didn’t know when or if they were ever coming back for him because he was not in on the plan they orchestrated to abandon their child.”
Best of all, Anthony was overjoyed by the news! Of course, the adoption process wouldn’t happen overnight. Peter and Anthony waded through two long years for paperwork and meetings. They hoped nobody from Tony’s past would try to throw a wrench into their plans.
Fortunately, by 2020, the toughest obstacles were behind them. The adoption was made official in a courthouse, filled with Peter’s close ones — who by then were Anthony’s close ones too. The father-son duo have enjoyed many new experiences since then.
Peter Mutabazi talked about Anthony on Good Morning America. “He’s the nicest, smartest kid I’ve ever had,” he beamed. “From day one, he’s always called me ‘dad.’ He truly meant it and he looks up to me. He’s proud to show me at school and say, ‘Hey, he’s my dad.’ That’s something that I love about him.”
The father and son have enjoyed simple activities, made all the better by being together. They can often be found bicycling, watching movies, and playing board games. After the lonely upbringings they both had, sharing such small moments provided a special comfort. The results were clear in Tony’s development as well.
Mutabazi proudly told Love What Matters about the progress Anthony has made. Within nineteen months, he read through over 500 books. Within school, church, and the foster community, Anthony made numerous friends. It was everything he ever dreamed of.
Peter Mutabazi never stopped his involvement with fostering either. Peter now had Anthony’s help in taking care of the eleven foster kids that came through their doors during the past three years. Both had brought out the best in each other. Now they’re making a difference for other kids navigating the harsh realities of the foster system.
