CASA volunteer Bob advocated for “Ryker,” an eight-year-old boy who had lingered in foster care over three years. Since reuniting Ryker with his mother was not an option, Bob began advocating for Ryker to be placed with his uncle. This case was challenging with the uncle actively serving in the military and stationed out of the country with a limited number of opportunities to return to the United States to be present at Ryker’s court hearings. Yet throughout the duration of the case, Bob maintained contact with the uncle. Once the uncle returned to the United States, he was able to visit with Ryker regularly and after four years in foster care, Ryker was adopted by his uncle.
While advocating for Ryker’s best interests, Bob learned the ins and outs of military adoption, communicated regular case updates to the uncle during his deployments, and helped Ryker maintain a bond – via video – with his uncle. Through all the challenges and potential obstacles, Bob never gave up on finding a way for Ryker to be adopted by his uncle and have a permanent home.
