Ethan’s Story

September 14, 2023

All Ethan has ever wanted was for his family to live under one roof. In reality, he found himself homeless with a mother struggling with addiction, a father whose parental rights were terminated for abuse, and a brother who was taken to live with a new family.

At 3 years old, Ethan witnessed a brutal attack on his mother, which forced her deeper into her addiction. Each time Ethan thought his mother would complete a treatment program, he was left disappointed and without a roof over his head. After too many disappointments, Ethan became angry at his family, the system, and the world. He began acting out and getting in trouble in school and in his foster homes.

When Ethan arrived at Windwood at age 12, he kept to himself and had little to say. With each different placement, he was losing hope of going home. Ethan coped by bottling up his anger and frustration until he would have an extreme outburst.

With therapy, Ethan found his voice, hope, and even discovered new hobbies. Younger Windwood residents started looking up to Ethan.

While his mother completed treatment, Ethan’s Windwood Care Coordinator encouraged a relationship with his uncle. He was Ethan’s mentor and biggest supporter, helping him learn and grow during treatment. Ethan often called his uncle in times of frustration and anger.

Ethan’s mother successfully completed rehab and found a stable job. He is now in regular contact with her and she is participating in his treatment.

Because of Windwood, Ethan looks forward to permanently moving home in the near future.

Latest Posts

Teddy’s Story

Teddy's journey to healing is a testament to the strength and resilience of children. At just 15 years old, he has faced more challenges than most people do in a lifetime. Before Teddy’s admission to Windwood, he and his infant sister lived with their mother. Teddy...

Jack’s Story

Jack’s resilience is evident from the start of his story. Adopted out of state into a new family with his 5 siblings and seeking a fresh start, he shortly encountered unexpected challenges. Jack was stuck in a home where exercise was used as punishment so often and...

Eric’s Story

Eric came to Windwood at age six intent on hurting himself and others. Eric’s mom and dad abandoned him multiple times by age 3. His father kidnapped him at age 4. He abused Eric. He left Eric home alone tied to a chair for long periods. After a few months at...

More recent news articles