Help Ayden Heal: Support His Wilderness Journey

Help Send Ayden on an Anasazi Trail Walker Adventure. Please go to their Anasazi Foudation page to see about this great program. This is not a summer camp or anything fun. This is a behavior modification and learning trek to help him learn to manage is Anger and emotional behaviors.

We are seeking additional donations to send our 12 year old son, Ayden, on an Anasazi Trail Walker Program—a therapeutic wilderness program designed to help struggling youth through nature, self-reflection, and mentorship.

Ayden’s Story

Ayden is our 12-year-old son, and we love him deeply. We adopted him in 2014, just after his second birthday, though he has been part of our family since he was 35 hours old as a foster child. From the moment he entered our lives, he has been our son in every way that matters.

Ayden is a kind, thoughtful child, but he is also struggling. As a biracial child growing up with older white parents, he is becoming more aware of his identity and the challenges that come with it. His early life was difficult—his biological mother, who struggled with addiction, gave birth to him while incarcerated. Though we initially planned to foster him temporarily, when she was released, she never reached out to claim him. The only time she saw him was during a mandatory two-hour social worker visit when he was eight months old.

The Challenges We’re Facing

Ayden’s struggles became more apparent around age 8, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. He had an IEP for reading difficulties and was making progress, but the sudden shift to isolation and online learning led to behavioral challenges. Since then, his difficulties have worsened.

Despite therapy, counseling, and even medication, Ayden is struggling with anger, impulsivity, and dishonesty. He frequently lies, destroys property, and has an intense fascination with electronics and knives. He has hacked passwords, bypassed fingerprint security, and accessed violent content online despite our best efforts to restrict his access. Most heartbreakingly, he has expressed feelings of not wanting to live. And also says he doesn't want to live with us anymore when he's in the throes of an anger episode.

We have explored hospitalization options, but many programs in our area focus on severe violent offenders, and we fear that placing him in such an environment could expose him to even worse influences. Ayden is not violent toward himself or others, but he needs intervention before his behaviors escalate further. He's in Biy Scouts and exploring Civil Air Patrol with a friend.

Why Anasazi?

A close friend recommended the Anasazi Foundation, a therapeutic outdoor wilderness program designed to help youth like Ayden. Through this experience, Ayden would spend time in nature, away from distractions, focusing on personal growth, responsibility, and emotional healing. The program has helped many children build resilience, self-awareness, and healthier coping strategies—things Ayden desperately needs right now.

Our Fundraising Goal: $40,000

The full cost of the program is $40,000, which includes:

✅ Tuition for the full program

✅ Gear and supplies for Ayden’s journey

✅ Follow-up support for continued success

We have scrounged together the initial $3,500 to get him started, which covers his initial enrollment and allow us to begin the process immediately.

We are enrolling him in the program Feb 28, 2025 but still have a long way to go. We have applied for scholarships, grants and loans but would really love to have your donations to help us not go further in debt. Any left over donations will go into the Anasazi Scholarship fund to help another child with their program.

How You Can Help

Every donation—no matter the amount—brings us closer to giving Ayden this life-changing opportunity. If you are unable to donate, please consider SHARING our story to help us reach others who may be able to assist. Thank you for your time to read our plea! We feel that God is helping us choose this program for our beloved son and with your help we can accomplish this goal.

Thank you for your kindness, generosity, and support. We believe Ayden has so much potential, and with the right guidance, he can overcome these challenges and thrive.

With gratitude,

Rhena and Dennis Wahlen