At simply 17 years previous, Petey Jones has already skilled unspeakable tragedy. In 2017, the Ohio teen misplaced his father, who died from a coronary heart assault at age 40. Three years later, his mom handed away from an unknown situation on New 12 months’s Day 2021. In March of that very same yr, tragedy struck once more when a fireplace destroyed his house and took the lifetime of his older sister, Maronique, who had been caring for him.
All of that loss took its toll on a then-14-year-old Jones, who didn’t know what he’d do with out his household.
“I used to be confused, however I used to be like offended,” he instructed Good Morning America. “I used to be mad as a result of every little thing occurred out of nowhere. My complete life modified round in a matter of two years.”
The story of the hearth at Jones’ hand-crafted the information and moved Ryan Holdren, who was his trainer and soccer coach at Cincinnati School Preparatory Academy. In line with PEOPLE, Holdren, who had been driving Jones to and from soccer observe since he misplaced his father, despatched Petey a textual content that learn:
“Hey, I do know you bought rather a lot occurring, however in the event you ever want it, you’re at all times welcome to return stick with me.”
Jones took Holdren up on his provide and moved in with him and his spouse Caitlin, the place he nonetheless lives with the couple and their now-one-year-old son Everett. Holdren is now Jones’ authorized guardian.
“We simply needed to offer him one thing constant,” Holdren instructed PEOPLE. “We needed to supply him with a spot the place he felt secure, someplace he may develop up.”
Right now, Jones is a star soccer participant and honors scholar, and is working to resolve between over a dozen faculty acceptances. He says he doesn’t know the place he’d be with out the Holdren’s help by means of his tough instances.
“They had been there for me it doesn’t matter what, letting me know that I’ll at all times have a spot to name dwelling,” Jones instructed PEOPLE. “They’re two angels.”