Lizzie's Story

On Sunday evenings, the Tran house fills with music. Thirteen-year-old Lizzie plays piano and her 8-year-old brother, Andrew, is on drums. Foster mom, Mimi, is a great fiddler and foster dad, Don, plays piano and electric bass. At regular intervals, their music gives way to chain-reaction laughter. But it wasn’t always like this.

When they first entered foster care, Lizzie and Andrew rarely left each other’s side. After a lifetime of neglect by their mentally ill mother, the two were used to taking care of – and protecting – each other. For the first few months in their new home, the siblings were almost too shy – and too wary – to talk to their new foster parents. But when Mimi and Don played music, the kids crept into the room to listen.

Don and Mimi wanted Lizzie and Andrew to create music themselves. They hoped a new form of expression might help break the protective shells the kids had built around themselves. So they turned to Treehouse.

The Treehouse Little Wishes program helped rent a drum set for Andrew, and helped fund music lessons for both kids. Practice sessions in the family’s living room soon gave way to family jams. And the kids started to open up.

“It’s a bonding activity for us,” explains Mimi. “Not only does it help Lizzie and Andrew express themselves, but it allows our family to create music together. It’s something we can all share.”

Lizzie and Andrew will never forget the chaos of their early lives. But they’ll spend the rest of their lives loving music, and, the Trans hope, using music to connect to other people.

Read more about Treehouse's Little Wishes program.