“I’ve never really had much of a family,” explains senior Nic Coyne.  “My dad moved to South Carolina for work when I was seven.  After that, the only blood-related family I had was my mom, who I took care of…she never really seemed to get on her feet.”  Nic and his mom lived in a 2-bedroom apartment, and after his mom’s friends lost their home, they took them in. While it was a good thing to do, Nic was forced out of his room and had to sleep on the floor in the living room. His mom’s “friends” weren’t really friends.  One night, after they thought Nic and his mom were doing drugs, they contacted the Department of Child Safety (DCS) and threatened to get Nic taken from his mom. Nic’s mom was drug tested the next day and failed.  Nic was already at school. He received a call slip from the office and when he arrived, they explained to him that he was being taken out of his home. Nic would be placed in a foster group home. 

Nic knew his mom was doing drugs. He was fourteen when he was taken away.   Before being taken to his foster home, he was asked if needed to grab some things and say goodbye to his mom and when he did, he didn’t have any emotions.  He never wanted to be home in the first place, so he would find every way possible to stay at school. When he was in middle school, he hated being home even more because he didn’t have the tolerance to take care of his mom anymore. He was never really close with his mom; he tried to be, but for him it never really worked out.

Growing up, he was bullied by the students at his school and once had thoughts of running away, but could never get himself to do it because he knew he wouldn’t have anywhere to go and he couldn’t be homeless, but when he went into high school, things got better and people started to like him.

When he arrived at the home, he felt like he would belong. “I met two people, Kenya and David, who became more of a family in my eyes than my own.  They were invested in me, they hung out with me, and they cared about me,” Nic explains.  “Kenya and David have helped me through anything I’ve asked of them.  If it meant sacrificing something for me, they would do it… Because of them I have striven to become a better person so I can prove that I can do the same for them and not become a dead-weight in their lives.” Nic still has contact with his mom today and visits her sometimes in the morning before school. He was asked if he would want to consider living with her again, but he refused and decided to stay in his foster home. Nic Coyne has been through a lot over the years, but he managed to get through it and make it into something good.

“My family is not defined by my blood or the people who raised me.  My family are the ones who make me a better person.”