Tami Mays

Freedom Road: a Girl's Journey Through the Foster Care System Tami Mays

Lydia Smith was a beautiful teenager with All-American girl looks. At age fifteen, she has it all-a wonderful home, loving parents, and lots of friends in high school. Then, suddenly, her world is turned upside-down by an unexpected pregnancy. Reluctantly, her mother and father stand by her, but all of her friends disappear. She gives birth to a daughter, gets her GED, and moves on with her life.

After twelve years, several boyfriends, and a husband who dies in a car crash, she is left with six children and no skill at taking proper care of them. Her oldest daughter, Mary Anne, is left with the responsibility to care for all of them, but it's an overwhelming task for a twelve-year-old. An intervention by a teacher and several other people from Mary Anne's school places all six children in foster care.

Now, Mary Anne and her five siblings have to learn survival techniques in order to cope with the difficulties ahead. Despite being placed with five different families, they must find a way to continue to be a family. Uncertain of their futures, they search together for their freedom road.