“I grew up in Fairhope and have fostered 18 children. My mom always wanted to have foster kids and give them a better life. When she died, she told me, ‘you have so much to offer, promise me you will help someone else along the way.’ I didn’t know what she meant. I later got the training and license and became a foster parent and mentor for young men. I got my first foster child in 1998, he was 12 years old and went to Fairhope Middle School. He had a hard time at first, but he had potential, so I stuck with him.
I have helped kids who’ve been through the worst of things. You wouldn’t believe what goes on in homes. There are troubled kids with so much sadness and anger inside. They are from broken homes, have parents on drugs, have been abused or something really bad has happened. They need structure, love and to be taught how to do things. If things go wrong, I tell them it’s okay, we can fix it.
I give my kids a good breakfast, lunch, and dinner, even those things they haven’t had before. I drove the school bus, worked at Fairhope Intermediate School, and came home and cooked. I drove the long bus with 80 kids and people said I was crazy for driving a bus and turning my back on that many kids. I also started the original Boys and Girls Club at Twin Beach. I have always helped kids.

These kids have taught me how to be patient. I want everything clean and in order at my house. With foster kids, I have learned to let it go a little bit. They don’t know they have to clean their room and bathroom. I teach them and love them and they eventually learn and adapt. I make them read 30 minutes a day.

My mom taught me how to cook and clean. I now have Stan the Man catering and do small catering jobs and make cakes all of the time. I think all of this is what my mom dreamed of and never got a chance to do. Her friends always tell me she would be so proud of me.”