Wednesday’s Child: Damon Is Looking For Family To Provide Love, Stability, Care
Oct 14, 2020, 11:45 AM | Updated: 1:49 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – At Salt Lake Institute of Culinary Education, Chef Brixton Taylor is making dreams come true; he’s teaching 14-year-old Damon how to cook.
Damon recently discovered a passion for food thanks to a cooking class at school.
“I cook chicken fajitas, cookies, pies,” says Damon as he puts flour into the mixer.
During this private lesson, Damon is making pizza from scratch, something he’s never done before but is more than willing to try.
“Should I put some flour on my hands?” he asks Chef Taylor as the two prepare to roll out the pizza dough.
Damon was accompanied to Salt Lake Institute of Culinary Education by Preston Calcut, his Youth Connections Advocate from Raise the Future, previously known as The Adoption Exchange.
“Damon is just a fun-loving kid, despite his challenges that he’s had in life,” Calcut says. “He’s just a very resilient kid.”
Damon was born with spina bifida and has some neurological challenges.
“He was born at 34 weeks and was in the NICU for quite a while,” Calcut says. “He’s got some white matter loss on his brain. He does try to walk using a gate trainer, but it’s tough on him.”
Damon has lived in foster care for most of his life. He’s looking for a family that can give him not only love and stability but the proper care.
“He needs a family that is willing to be there through the hard times,” says Calcut. “He’s going to need ongoing support, ongoing care, and he’s probably going to be living with you for the rest of his life.”
A couple of things we learned about Damon during his private cooking lesson are that he loves video games and books, and his favorite meal is macaroni and cheese with hotdogs. He also loves music — Billie Eilish to be exact.
Damon has a vibrant personality and he’s not afraid to share it.
“He never complains about anything. He goes with the flow and is always happy,” says Calcut. “He’s a kid that just longs for a family. He longs to feel that love and belonging. He’s never really experienced that.”
For more information about Damon, contact Raise the Future at 801-265-0444 or go to raisethefuture.org.
