Bob Collins
I can’t stop thinking about Diamond, and, apparently, I’m not the only one.
There’s nothing that can rip the heart out faster than the sound of a dying dream.
Can we agree that no 17-year-old kid should be asking these questions, as Diamond Syas asked as part of a class writing assignment?
“The next question was, ‘What would you like to know that you have never learned, or what do you want to know more about?’ My answers were, ‘What makes parents give up on their children? Why do I work three jobs at 17? Why am I homeless? Why can’t I be happy and stress-free? What’s the real purpose of school? Why does family hurt you the most?'”
She added, “Sometimes I just imagine if when I was younger, if my mom did just give me away, like just give me to foster care, if my life would be different, if my personality would be different. I just think about that every day. All the time.”
She liked school and she was looking forward to graduating and then going to community college. She had a plan to become a computer engineer.
A better future was within her grasp.
You can read the whole story here, but if you do, you’ll miss the finest piece of radio storytelling I’ve ever heard. Ever.
Here. Take 10 minutes.
Reporter Laura Yuen said on Twitter last night she’s hearing the same question from lots of people: “What can we do?”
She’s meeting with Diamond again today and perhaps we’ll come up with an idea in the meantime.
“Diamond heard my story and liked it,” Yuen said in an email to a few dozen people who’ve emailed her. “She actually texted me after it aired. We’re supposed to meet tomorrow to see how people might be able to help — whether it’s financial, moral support, or housing/transportation leads. I will definitely let you know what she says.”
