"Without CASA, I can confidently say that I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I have.” -Adam, former foster youth

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WRITTEN BY:

SYLVIA NOVAKOFF, CASA FAMILY CONNECTIONS MANAGER & ANDY JACOBSON, CASA CASE SUPERVISOR

Adam Jeffrey Christopher

March 24, 2000 – April 20, 2020

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In 2012, at age 12, Adam was removed from a dysfunctional family setting of substance abuse, violence, and neglect. He remained in foster care up until his death at age 20. Because of his troubled past, he struggled with crippling anxiety and depression. He was seldom shown healthy love and care, yet he exuded those qualities to other people. 

For eight years, Adam’s path was filled with highs and lows. Yet, he found momentum to hit impressive milestones rarely attained by foster youth. He experienced many “firsts,” too, such as a homemade birthday cake, a VIP visit to Disneyland, and the unconditional love of a puppy.

Adam was very smart and a great writer. At one point, he aspired to become a journalist. Life surprised him when he learned he was a father, during his senior year. Sadly, he rarely saw his son. However, he recognized his financial responsibility and became a valued part of a local Starbucks team. Starbucks then promoted him for his strong work ethic, teamwork and charisma. 

For nearly five years, Adam was part of the CASA family. He welcomed two advocates and two case supervisors into his life. Inherently shy and modest, he often expressed amazement that CASA worked on his behalf and cared about him. He greatly appreciated the stable, supportive adult relationships. He was very receptive to the guidance and support of his CASA team that worked alongside him to earn his high school diploma. Adam was two months away from attending emergency medical technician (EMT) school, partially funded by CASA, at the time of his death.

In March 2020, Adam was asked to participate in CASA’s “35 for 35,” a collection of stories of foster youth who benefitted from the one-to-one relationship with a trained volunteer. In a text to his case supervisor, Adam said: “I would love to! Please, I’ll even write a speech! That is awesome….I’m honored that you want me to be one (of the 35). Without CASA I can confidently say that I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I have.” 

We memorialize Adam here. He wasn’t jaded or corrupted and he managed to overcome all of the negative energy, experiences and influences around him. He had a beautiful, warm, genuine spirit, and a sense of purity and wonder. It is we who are honored to have been part of his journey.