Loss Moves Single Father to Adopt Three Brothers
After losing his father, Jason Smith sprung into action.
As the 45-year-old looked into fostering a son, his heart got stuck on three brothers.
Smith’s house became the sixth foster home for siblings Tayvon, 9, Ireon, 10, and Tayveon, 11, in the past five years.
But the boys found their forever home.
Smith adopted the brothers, a move that changed lives.
“What better way to change the trajectory of someone’s life than by bringing them into your home and just showing them that somebody cares for them, right?” said Smith, whose father passed away in June of 2021.
“Each day is better, but I feel strongly that his spirit is with me and guiding me.”
Jason Smith, 2023
He wanted his father to have a grandchild, so it motivated him to foster.
As he was browsing profiles, he came across Tayvon, Ireon and Tayveon. He read their stories and never looked back.
Smith began fostering the boys who love sports and to joke around in April of 2022. The children were separated from their sisters, who were adopted by a Nevada couple.
Smith, a human resources executive at Caesers Entertainment, plans monthly get-togethers with the foster parents of the younger sisters.
“It seemed like faith and destiny wanted us to be together,” said Smith, who’s now affectionately called Papa J by his three sons.
“Most importantly, he loves us and we love him.”
Tayvon on Finding Family with Papa J
Smith completed a 9-week training program in Nevada in order to foster. He said it prepares you for the worst, but he hasn’t experienced any of that.
Black children are overrepresented in the U.S. foster care system, data shows, and they spend a longer time in the system compared to white children. While Black children accounted for roughly 14 percent of children in the nation in 2019, they made up 23 percent of the foster care population.
Smith teaches his sons to cook and clean, and they attend church. He often takes them to Chili’s, skateboarding or hiking after church.
“We’re living a normal life here,” said Tayveon.
He said the spirit of his dad is guiding him in the journey of fatherhood.
“He’d be so elated, no one in the street could tell you those weren’t his grandkids,” Smith said through tears. “I just want to see them grow up to be smart, intelligent, great Black men to make a difference, to take their experience and use that to do some amazing things.”