Success Stories

- [Emma] When I was little, I thought I would never be loved. ♪ [music] ♪I got my [inaudible], I got...just my...speak clearly, I...not speak.

I couldn't believe my ear. - [Jan] Emma had been bounced around between psychiatric facilities, being [inaudible], being in group homes, and nothing ever clicked for her. ♪ [music] ♪-

[Tonia] And even though, through no fault of their own, you know, she was removed from the Slaters' home. To Emma, that was just another, "Nobody can love me, nobody's going to care about me. If I couldn't stay in their home, I'm not going to stay anywhere." - [Marcus] She came to Boys Town because of some several failures with those adoptions, and also with some behavior concerns.

- This child needed a lot more than anyone had been willing to, or able to, give her. ♪ [music] ♪- [Edward] A lot of Boys Town kids at the sites get their basic medical care close to home, but when you need expert care, then the opportunity to come and have that care through the hospital, I think, is really important.

Everyone pitched in and got together, and figured out a way to get her to Omaha. We, in the course of her evaluation, realized that with some surgery, that we thought we could really improve some of the things that were bothering her. So, it was great, it was just a great collaboration. And I think when we said goodbye to her, when she headed home, she was really happy.

She gave everyone a hug, and she just seemed to be, like, ready for what was next in her life, so I was really, really proud that we could be a part of that.

- I would have to thank the nurse and thanking the people who took care of me. They were the best.

- We saw a child that was very emotional, easily agitated, go to a child that smiled all the time, that just brought joy to everyone that she was around. ♪ [music] ♪So at that point, I reached out to Jan Slater.

- She said, "Emma feels that you're her family, and that's all Emma prays about is the Slaters," and so that weekend, we went up to visit her and we've never looked back.

- This is the Slater family, and I love this family. If there was no Boys Town, I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be here with my family, I wouldn't be here with God, I wouldn't be here with [inaudible], I'd probably be in jail.

- I can't say enough about Boys Town. First of all, they showed Emma love, unconditional love, which Emma, in her life, had never had. No child should have to feel that way.

- My favorite thing about Boys Town was people not giving up on me. Thank you so much, that's a lot for me. Thank you, they made my day happy.

- Just, thank you, Boys Town. We love her. ♪ [music] ♪