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Batten down the hatches! 11-year-old has sights on forever home

Kaden is 11-years-old and is in state foster care. His story is one of hope over heartbreak. Kaden's dream is to find a family who will love him and keep him forever.

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - This month is National Adoption Month and we are featuring a series of older children, children who are tougher to place in adoptive homes.

THV11 is partnered with the Arkansas Department of Human Services to find placement for these children and they arguably need families more than ever before to guide them through their teenage years.

Kaden is 11-years-old and his story is one of hope over heartbreak. But it’s all-hands-on-deck aboard the USS Razorback. The Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum opened the submarine hatch just for Kaden.

"No windows! Okay. Just gonna tell you that right now. There are no windows!" he said excitedly.

Once on board, Kaden was fascinated with the workings of this old warship. "I know how to do this, this is easy," he said. Through the watertight, tiny doors, not-so-tiny for Kaden. "I'm really small so I can just go right through these doors," he joked.

And down the hall, it was like a walking history lesson with historian Joseph Mathis.

"I was like ugh I'm not gonna like this place, but then I started to get used to it!" said Kaden.

We stopped in the sub's dining quarters for a moment to talk about foster care. He doesn't like moving around. "It feels bad, I have to change then do this [and] do that," he told us.

We talked about getting adopted, about finding the right family. "Well, I want them to have the same hair as me, kinda the same eyes as me, the same clothes, same shoes the same all of it," Kaden said.

He wants those things so he'll fit in. It seems unfair for a child to have to ask for that. But our old navy sailor guide explained it well. ‘Life, like war, is not always fair.’

Still, young Kaden keeps a positive attitude, especially in PE, which is his favorite subject. "Because we get to play kickball, we get to play dodgeball, we get to play basketball, anything we want," he said. "I like to have fun with people, I want to be amazed by people, entertained with people."

Kaden was definitely entertained deep underwater on the submarine. He was made an honorary captain of the USS Razorback just for one day. So, what’s next up for Kaden? Commander of his fate and a decided course that includes a family.

"Family means to me, it's about having a family who loves you, who cares about you, who does everything for you," he explained.

On Saturday, Nov. 11, the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum is hosting a special Veterans Day celebration free of charge.

For more information on Kaden or any child we've featured, click here.

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