14-year-old boy was about to enter foster care — until his best friend’s dad made a life-changing decision

A man faced a dilemma after he was recently asked to foster his son’s friend. The single dad, who goes by u/Smart-Effort8150 on Reddit, opened up about the opportunity he was presented with to take care of a child with a troubled family history. The confused, good Samaritan turned to the online community to seek answers to his concerns related to foster parenting. In a widely circulating post, he shared what happened after his teenage son Henry’s best friend, Archie, ended up on the “at-risk” register.

“It has always been clear that Archie comes from a troubled home. From what I can gather (and I do not have the full information), Archie’s mum is a drug addict,” the man’s post began. Social services identified the 14-year-old Archie as being at risk of neglect, abuse, or harm.

A week before Christmas last year, the single dad was requested by his son’s school to provide his consent for his information to be shared with Archie’s social worker. Soon after, the caregiver, who by then had already been looking after the child, was taken aback when he received a call from the authorities asking him to foster the teen. “I was told that the school had recommended me and asked if I could take him in, basically. They said it would likely be long-term until he turns 18. I honestly didn't know what to say; I was in shock,” the post explained.

Following this, the single dad elaborated on how he had been supporting Archie through various means, including taking him to and from school, spending weekends together, arranging food for him when he wasn't around, and helping with grocery shopping and laundry. But the single dad felt that fostering Archie would be a “big jump” for him as he’d need to navigate his decent-paying job and take responsibility for another child. “I live in a small two-bedroom house, meaning Henry and Archie would have to share a room,” he added.

The man sought more time from social services to make the crucial decision concerning Archie, who was already staying with Henry for the holidays. “I've tried to make this a normal Christmas for Archie, as much as possible,” he remarked, revealing how he had kept it all secret from the teenager. “My heart is telling me, ‘Of course, you’re going to take that little boy in,’ but my brain is worried about the responsibility and cost of taking on another mouth to feed,” he explained further. After considering all the options and discussing it with his mom, the man agreed to take Archie in.

Contrary to his mother’s advice, the man took the bold move. “She’s worried I’m biting off more than I can chew, especially as a single dad. She reminded me that I already have a lot on my plate with work, the house, and raising Henry on my own,” he wrote. After speaking to some other foster parents about the foreseeable expenses of raising a child, the single dad reached his decision. In an update, he shared his plans to move to a bigger space, with a separate room for Archie.

Archie asked his foster dad if they could watch a movie together on his first day with his new family. “(Later in the evening) he sat next to me, rested his head on my shoulder, and said, ‘Thank you for letting me stay with you.’ Writing this, I can feel tears welling up in my eyes again. I put my arm around him and said I’d always be there for him,” the single parent concluded, inviting reactions.

“You’re an absolute hero. You have changed that child's life for the better, forever,” u/nickjohnson remarked. “You already made a difference, Dad. Archie will remember you for the rest of his life as the man who saved him,” u/Olliebird echoed similar sentiments.