I was adopted at the age of four and a half from Abbotsford BC. I started to live with my new family, but some of my extended family thought I was not worth keeping because of my disability and my behaviour problems. My parents did not listen to them because they loved me. We then moved to the West Boundary. I moved from Midway and lived in a group home, when the group home got shut down I moved into a home share. I lived at the home share for seven years and then chose to move back in with my parents. My mother and I disagreed about my choices so then I moved into another share home and have been there for a year.
In the last year I have started at a day program and joined a book club that a peer started. I play Special Olympics Floor Hockey and used to play chess at a chess club. I help out at home and enjoy watching my movies and playing video games.
I used to volunteer at the whispers of hope, I have just started working at the United Church. I want to stay in Grand Forks for the rest of my life. I would like to find another job and I would like to have a better life, where I eventually live on my own. I don’t ever want to leave the boundary I feel that it is home. I would like to settle down and find someone that I can be a good friend with. I have some friends that I see at Special Olympics, Transitional Training and at program. I would like to do more with them.
TJ Vanderneit Age 29
