No matter your age or how well you’ve prepared for the eventuality, losing a parent is a devastating experience.
As children, we believe that our parents will always be there for us, whether it be to help us, to love us unconditionally, or simply to answer the phone when we need someone to talk to.
The day we must say our final goodbyes are always a gloomy one, and moving on with our lives is one of the most difficult things many of us will ever have to do.
Jaylan, 22, and Julian, 12, both from Katy, Texas, are familiar with this feeling. Recently, both of their parents passed away, leaving Jaylan to raise his younger sibling on his own.
In addition to the fact that their home had been severely damaged by Hurricane Harvey and the 2021 freeze, the enormity of the task was, needless to say, overwhelming.
Before his mother passed away, Jaylan promised her that he would take care of Julian and ensure that he was properly raised.
Jaylan told Click2Houston, “[I] try my best to keep him in check, make sure he doesn’t get in trouble, and make sure he’s loved,”
Obviously, becoming a substitute parent at the age of 22 comes with many difficulties, and the situation with the brothers’ house greatly complicated matters.
“At one point, I was just done with the house,” Jaylan explained. “I was ready to sell it at one point. It was too much weight on my shoulders. I couldn’t do it.”
Fortunately, aid was available. Katy Responds learned of Jaylan and Julian’s plight and determined that they must do everything possible to improve the situation.
They were quickly joined by a large number of volunteers, and plans were put in motion to provide the orphaned siblings with a place to live.
Ron Peters, executive director of Katy Responds, said of the old home, “There’s just no way they could’ve lived in it and probably would’ve never fixed it.”
In just three months, the organization completely remodeled Jaylan and Julian’s home, which was furnished by the Lakewood Church.
“I want you to have a safe place to live. I want you to be able to not worry about your home, for a few years,” Peters told the boys. “This is what we do. It’s hard work. It’s non-profit work, but it’s why we do it is for those guys.”
The brothers were given a tour of their newly renovated home last week.
Jaylan exclaimed, “I love it,” said Jaylan. “I’m speechless, way more than we asked for. Completely grateful.”
Julian, age 12, added that the effort gave him and his brother renewed hope.
“It makes me so happy to see that there’s good people. I just like the way we’ve been treated. I didn’t think anything good would happen,” Julian said.
Now, the boys are prepared to start a new chapter in their lives. It will not be simple, but they have each other and a new home to create cherished memories and plot their futures.
For your reference:
