The heartbreaking, iconic true story of an abandoned little boy’s horrific journey through the American foster care system

One misty evening, Jennings Michael Burch’s mother, too sick to care for him, left her eight-year-old son at an orphanage with the words, “I’ll be right back.” She wasn’t.

Shuttled through a bleak series of foster homes, orphanages, and institutions, Jennings never remained in any of them long enough to make a friend. Instead, he clung to a tattered stuffed animal named Doggie, his sole source of comfort in a frightening world.

Here, in his own words, Jennings Michael Burch reveals the abuse and neglect he experienced during his lost childhood. But while his experiences are both shocking and devastating, his story is ultimately one of hope—the triumphant tale of a forgotten child who somehow found the courage to reach out for love and found it waiting for him. “A valuable and beautiful book which addresses issues of concern to everyone—what really does happen to foster children and what allows some children to survive the same emotional trauma that shatters forever the lives of others.”—Eleanor Craig, author of P.S. Your Not Listening
 
“A deeply moving and inspiring story.”—Alan Arkin
 
“Everyone who cares about the quality of life and the future of nation should read this book.”—William R. Bricker, National Director, Boys Clubs of America
 
“This heartbreaking, shocking, ultimately triumphant tale is an extremely important book.”—Lucy Freeman, author of Fight Against Fears
 
“A must for every library...should be required reading for every couple expecting a child.”—Sally Struthers
 
“This heart-wrenching, autobiographical account…has the power of a Dickens novel.”—Booklist
 
“A winner—gripping, unforgettable, shattering.”—Flora Rheta Schreiber, author of Sybil