To look at Lexi now, smiling, happy and on the path to the career of her choice, you would never know the trials she has faced in her life. Growing up, Lexi was neglected, hungry and abused. “I was always thinking about things like, Are we going to have food? Are my brother and sister, okay? Who is my Mom bringing home tonight and is he going to hit us?” said Lexi.
Eventually, Lexi was placed in the foster care system and was later adopted by a family who loved her dearly. Despite the best efforts of her adoptive parents, Jill and Jeremy, Lexi was grieving and in pain, suffering with why her birth parents had abandoned her.
With her teen years came severe depression and anxiety as she dealt with the trauma of her past, and the isolation that accompanied COVID led to tensions and arguments at home. “You hate to see your child in pain and going through such a tough time,” said Jill. When Lexi suffered a severe depressive episode and decided she didn’t want to live at home anymore, her parents knew she needed Boys Town.
When Lexi arrived at Boys Town, she felt a bit lost and unsure, but through the love and support of her Family-Teachers and therapists, her confidence began to grow, and she became more positive and appropriately assertive. “Boys Town supported me in ways I didn’t even realize I needed,” said Lexi.
Soon, Lexi was back on track. She excelled in school, participated in sports, and was named to National Honor Society. During high school, she realized she had a genuine interest in agriculture and specifically, the equine industry.
With the help of Boys Town’s Successful Futures program, that supports youth as they bridge the gap between high school and independent living, she currently attends the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, where she is pursuing a degree in Equine Industry Management and hopes to one day own her own ranch.
“Boys Town helped me shape my future,” said Lexi. “I’m very grateful for all the opportunities that I have been given and I am proud to be part of the Boys Town community that raised me and helped me to be the person I am today.”
