Peter adopted Anthony after fostering him for two years. Photo / Peter Mutabazi
Peter adopted Anthony after fostering him for two years. Photo / Peter Mutabazi
A 13-year-old boy who was abandoned by his adoptive parents at a hospital two years ago has found his forever home, thanks to a man who faced his own hardships as a child.
Anthony Mutabazi was previously abandoned by his birth parents when he was just 2 years old before being taken in by a family who served as church elders.
But at age 11, Anthony's adoptive parents did the unthinkable and abandoned him for the second time in his life after they left him at a US hospital and never returned.
Two years later Anthony's life would change forever, thanks to 37-year-old Peter Mutabazi who saved him from constant upheaval.
Peter himself had a rough upbringing, growing up in poverty after being born in a village on the Ugandan-Rwandan border.
But after hearing Anthony's story, Peter was drawn to the boy and knew he had to take him in.
But now the father and son are delighted to have found each other. Photo / Peter Mutabazi
Anthony was supposed to stay for only one weekend, but the foster dad and son immediately formed an unbreakable bond.
Two years later, the duo left court after the state allowed Peter to officially adopt Anthony.
"He's the nicest, smartest kid I've ever had," Peter told Good Morning America.
Peter says he was stunned when he learned Anthony's adopted parents abandoned him.
"I thought, 'Who would do that?'
"Once I knew the parents' rights were signed off and he had nowhere to go, I [knew] I had to take him.
"I had the room, the resources, so I had no reason to let him go," he added.
"For what someone did for me I wanted to do something for someone else.
"From day one, he's always called me 'dad'. He truly meant it and he looks up to me. He's proud to show me at school and say, 'Hey, he's my dad.' That's something that I love about him."
Anthony has had a hard life, he was abandoned at two years old and then again a decade later. Photo / Peter Mutabazi
Peter told Daily Mail that Tony first arrived at his home at 3am and when he brought him to his room, he saw a toy on the floor and politely asked if he could play with it.
"It just warmed my heart that he asked, and he called me sir," the dad recalled.
"Right then, I knew I am going to adopt this kid."
Peter said his relationship with Tony hasn't changed since his adoption aside from the fact that they now share the same last name. He explained that it's 'really neat' to go to his son's school and see his surname on Tony's work.
"There is a kid I love and we share the same name," he said.
