Jennings Michael Burch

What is a hero? A hero is a person who is never done, until the battle is fought and won. A hero is someone who is always unique, who is proud and brave. A hero is someone who is never afraid. Jennings Michael Burch, who survived abandonment, physical abuse and humiliation after being left by his mother at an orphanage is also a hero. He struggled through a series of different orphanage homes, feeling lonely, and frightened. He has been beaten several times, but he tried to be strong.

Jennings is a hero because he is young and has been through heck and back so many times. Jennings experienced a variety of foster homes and orphanages. He was separated from his brothers and sent to different orphanages, because their mother was sick. “His lonely odyssey began one day in Brooklyn when his mom, too sick to care for him, left him at an orphanage, saying ‘ I’ll be right back.” He loves his mother and especially loves his brother Jerome. He didn’t have any idea what was his mom doing but he hoped she would be back really soon.

The nuns were very strict and had no sympathy for Jennings. The sisters would allow the children to choose a stuffed animal to take to bed at night as a source of comfort. However in the wee hours of the morning before the children awoke, the animals would quickly be gathered up and locked away (caged). Jennings only source of acceptance love and understanding came from “Doggie”, a tattered stuffed dog. “The triumphant tale of a little boy who finally gained the courage to reach out for love and found it waiting for him.”Whenever he got the news that his mother was sick and he had to go to an orphanage or a home he had the gut feeling that he wouldn’t be leaving soon. He was tossed home-to-home he learned many lessons and became a very strong willed.

He bounced from home, to orphanages, to abusive foster homes, to good foster homes, to living at the zoo and rummaging through the trash for food. All this moving around caused him to fall behind in his schooling. Because of this, his fellow students and even his teachers mocked and derided him, telling him he is stupid. Jennings met a lot of people, but he was thought not to become close to people, because the ones he loved, always left him. He always hoped that one day his family would gather, and give him the best life ever.

Despite all odds, Jennings does survive, along with “ Doggie”. What little time he does spend at home was disrupted by a sick mother, a couple of drunken brothers, and a constant lack of money. And even with all he went through, he didn’t give up. The hurt, rejection and loneliness felt as an abused child never disappeared. The wounds heal, the heart forgives, but the mind never forgets.