Teen Finds Mom After A Decade Apart
Michael Acosta
Senior Michael Acosta is finishing up his last few days at Davis High School before graduating, but finishing school once seemed like a long shot. Michael was in and out of schools for much of the last 12 years.
When Michael was five years old, he lived with his mother in California,
One day, his biological father picked him up for a weekend. Michael wound up living with his father in St. Louis and having no contact with his mom for the next 10 years.
" I was thinking, when am I gonna go, I've been down here for awhile and than next thing you know I was in kindergarten and after that I was young so I didn't really ask questions."
Michael's mom moved from California to Yakima, she says she couldn't afford to go back and look for her son, and completely lost contact with him. Michael says he would think of his mom often, especially before competing in sporting events.
"I would always ask my dad, like is my mom gonna come, and he would just be like no your with me short term, I never though anything of it."
When michael was 16 a friend of his found Michael's cousin on his mom's side on Facebook, Michael got a hold of the cousin, who put him in contact with his mom.
With his dad's blessing, Michael headed across the country alone to find his mother.
" I never lost hope that someday he was gonna come back or I was gonna find him," says Michael's mother Sarah.
Michael has been living with his mom for the last two years. Now his sights are set on college, and after traveling a winding road for many years, he chooses only to look forward, and not back.
" It's been real hard but as strong minded as I am, instead of dwelling on the past which it does hurt when you talk about it but on the other hand all you have to do is look forward and just keep focusing on whats in front of you."