
[Music] thank you
thank you
thank you so the reason why I’m standing here
so the reason why I’m standing here
so the reason why I’m standing here right now are my parents if I saved my
right now are my parents if I saved my
right now are my parents if I saved my parents I actually have to save my
parents I actually have to save my
parents I actually have to save my foster parents yes my parents took in
foster parents yes my parents took in
foster parents yes my parents took in seven foster kids and through their love
seven foster kids and through their love
seven foster kids and through their love offered us a caring and loving home let
offered us a caring and loving home let
offered us a caring and loving home let me introduce you to the people who are
me introduce you to the people who are
me introduce you to the people who are really important in my life my family on
really important in my life my family on
really important in my life my family on the right side you can see my mother and
the right side you can see my mother and
the right side you can see my mother and my money and my father Matias here on
my money and my father Matias here on
my money and my father Matias here on the top from the left to the right is
the top from the left to the right is
the top from the left to the right is father Julia flowers Sandra and I’m
father Julia flowers Sandra and I’m
father Julia flowers Sandra and I’m sitting here in the front you can see
sitting here in the front you can see
sitting here in the front you can see next to me it’s just me well let’s start
next to me it’s just me well let’s start
next to me it’s just me well let’s start at the beginning in 1982 and my parents
at the beginning in 1982 and my parents
at the beginning in 1982 and my parents got married they soon discovered that
got married they soon discovered that
got married they soon discovered that they couldn’t have children
they couldn’t have children
they couldn’t have children their marriage was filled with so much
their marriage was filled with so much
their marriage was filled with so much love that they absolutely wanted to
love that they absolutely wanted to
love that they absolutely wanted to share so they decided that they wanted
share so they decided that they wanted
share so they decided that they wanted to have foster kids they started the
to have foster kids they started the
to have foster kids they started the process
process
process and after a year I arrived in 1986
being the little princess of my dad I
being the little princess of my dad I was getting really spoiled at my first
was getting really spoiled at my first
was getting really spoiled at my first birthday my dad took me out to a shop
birthday my dad took me out to a shop
birthday my dad took me out to a shop he’s a big car fanatic and bought me a
he’s a big car fanatic and bought me a
he’s a big car fanatic and bought me a little motorcar which I couldn’t even
little motorcar which I couldn’t even
little motorcar which I couldn’t even write because I was only one year older
write because I was only one year older
write because I was only one year older when we got home and my mom sada she
when we got home and my mom sada she
when we got home and my mom sada she said we absolutely need another child
said we absolutely need another child
said we absolutely need another child because this girl’s a to spoil so this
because this girl’s a to spoil so this
because this girl’s a to spoil so this is when Renee came to our family he was
is when Renee came to our family he was
is when Renee came to our family he was already 7 years old finally after two
already 7 years old finally after two
already 7 years old finally after two more years sandwich owned our family and
more years sandwich owned our family and
more years sandwich owned our family and in 1990 my brother Klaus with Klaus
in 1990 my brother Klaus with Klaus
in 1990 my brother Klaus with Klaus there’s actually a
there’s actually a
there’s actually a amazing stories so when his biological
amazing stories so when his biological
amazing stories so when his biological mother who also happened to be my
mother who also happened to be my
mother who also happened to be my biological mother was pregnant everyone
biological mother was pregnant everyone
biological mother was pregnant everyone in her environment told her that she
in her environment told her that she
in her environment told her that she should abort the baby she didn’t want to
should abort the baby she didn’t want to
should abort the baby she didn’t want to do that
do that
do that so in her despair she called my parents
so in her despair she called my parents
so in her despair she called my parents and asked them which they wanted to take
and asked them which they wanted to take
and asked them which they wanted to take the unborn baby they immediately agreed
the unborn baby they immediately agreed
the unborn baby they immediately agreed well and now you can see clouds sitting
well and now you can see clouds sitting
well and now you can see clouds sitting here in the audience as a law graduate
here in the audience as a law graduate
here in the audience as a law graduate what allows if you wouldn’t exist so in
what allows if you wouldn’t exist so in
what allows if you wouldn’t exist so in 1990
1990
1990 my parents had four foster kids with
my parents had four foster kids with
my parents had four foster kids with totally different backgrounds and I have
totally different backgrounds and I have
totally different backgrounds and I have to say our genetic material wasn’t –
to say our genetic material wasn’t –
to say our genetic material wasn’t – idea Renee’s parents were alcoholics
idea Renee’s parents were alcoholics
idea Renee’s parents were alcoholics thousand my mother was psychologically
thousand my mother was psychologically
thousand my mother was psychologically sick and also Sandra’s mother so my
sick and also Sandra’s mother so my
sick and also Sandra’s mother so my parents didn’t know if this genetic
parents didn’t know if this genetic
parents didn’t know if this genetic material would have a negative impact on
material would have a negative impact on
material would have a negative impact on our lives and in fact they didn’t care
our lives and in fact they didn’t care
our lives and in fact they didn’t care about him they just trusted that the
about him they just trusted that the
about him they just trusted that the love they feel for us would make
love they feel for us would make
love they feel for us would make everything work they believed that
everything work they believed that
everything work they believed that boundless love has a power of tenant
boundless love has a power of tenant
boundless love has a power of tenant destroyed and that true love a real
destroyed and that true love a real
destroyed and that true love a real family can be built understanding love
family can be built understanding love
family can be built understanding love is a concept that is multiplied it is
is a concept that is multiplied it is
is a concept that is multiplied it is not astonishing that my siblings and I
not astonishing that my siblings and I
not astonishing that my siblings and I beg for another brother or sister that’s
beg for another brother or sister that’s
beg for another brother or sister that’s been in 1995 Julia came to us and in
been in 1995 Julia came to us and in
been in 1995 Julia came to us and in 2002 and 2006 our family was completed
2002 and 2006 our family was completed
2002 and 2006 our family was completed with the last two members this mean who
with the last two members this mean who
with the last two members this mean who is mentally disabled in Fabian who have
is mentally disabled in Fabian who have
is mentally disabled in Fabian who have some social issues as you can see we are
some social issues as you can see we are
some social issues as you can see we are some kind of a patchwork family some of
some kind of a patchwork family some of
some kind of a patchwork family some of us are somehow related while others
us are somehow related while others
us are somehow related while others don’t share any type genetic material
don’t share any type genetic material
don’t share any type genetic material with anyone
with anyone
with anyone family it is not important to us we are
family it is not important to us we are
family it is not important to us we are connected through the love that our
connected through the love that our
connected through the love that our parents gave to us a parent’s love that
parents gave to us a parent’s love that
parents gave to us a parent’s love that survived critical phases for example
survived critical phases for example
survived critical phases for example like poverty a parent’s love that knew
like poverty a parent’s love that knew
like poverty a parent’s love that knew how to forgive a child who was screaming
how to forgive a child who was screaming
how to forgive a child who was screaming you are not my real parents a parent’s
you are not my real parents a parent’s
you are not my real parents a parent’s love that had no boundaries and always
love that had no boundaries and always
love that had no boundaries and always shall secure this is how love should be
shall secure this is how love should be
shall secure this is how love should be and this is what makes us a real family
and this is what makes us a real family
and this is what makes us a real family a family that cares for each other
a family that cares for each other
a family that cares for each other a family that loves each other a family
a family that loves each other a family
a family that loves each other a family that doesn’t care about genetic material
that doesn’t care about genetic material
that doesn’t care about genetic material Sangha for example has now two kids they
Sangha for example has now two kids they
Sangha for example has now two kids they are our niece and nephew I’m even the
are our niece and nephew I’m even the
are our niece and nephew I’m even the godmother of this little video for them
godmother of this little video for them
godmother of this little video for them we are their family and they are our
we are their family and they are our
we are their family and they are our family my parents are the Emperor and
family my parents are the Emperor and
family my parents are the Emperor and parents we belong to them and they
parents we belong to them and they
parents we belong to them and they belong to us even if we don’t share the
belong to us even if we don’t share the
belong to us even if we don’t share the same blood we never be belong together I
same blood we never be belong together I
same blood we never be belong together I am a very very lucky person because
am a very very lucky person because
am a very very lucky person because through the love that I experienced from
through the love that I experienced from
through the love that I experienced from my foster parents it was very easy for
my foster parents it was very easy for
my foster parents it was very easy for me to also love my biological mother I
me to also love my biological mother I
me to also love my biological mother I loved her for her selflessness for her
loved her for her selflessness for her
loved her for her selflessness for her capability of giving me away and an
capability of giving me away and an
capability of giving me away and an enemy a stable home I also loved her for
enemy a stable home I also loved her for
enemy a stable home I also loved her for her happiness that she always showed
her happiness that she always showed
her happiness that she always showed when she saw me happy so I never had to
when she saw me happy so I never had to
when she saw me happy so I never had to be afraid to love my parents to love my
be afraid to love my parents to love my
be afraid to love my parents to love my foster parents
foster parents
foster parents despite the amazing work that many
despite the amazing work that many
despite the amazing work that many foster parents to the legal system in
foster parents to the legal system in
foster parents to the legal system in Austria works more for the biological
Austria works more for the biological
Austria works more for the biological parents and for their foster parents so
parents and for their foster parents so
parents and for their foster parents so usually the court or the childcare
usually the court or the childcare
usually the court or the childcare service decide if a child has to be
service decide if a child has to be
service decide if a child has to be biological parents or not I as a foster
biological parents or not I as a foster
biological parents or not I as a foster child don’t think that’s always good
child don’t think that’s always good
child don’t think that’s always good sometimes the child has to see its
sometimes the child has to see its
sometimes the child has to see its biological parents even if even if it
biological parents even if even if it
biological parents even if even if it doesn’t want to even if it’s working in
doesn’t want to even if it’s working in
doesn’t want to even if it’s working in our family we also have this experience
our family we also have this experience
our family we also have this experience it’s a situation it’s really hard for
it’s a situation it’s really hard for
it’s a situation it’s really hard for the child but also for the foster
the child but also for the foster
the child but also for the foster parents because sometimes many times
parents because sometimes many times
parents because sometimes many times they are then pushed into a corner in my
they are then pushed into a corner in my
they are then pushed into a corner in my opinion in my opinion is very important
opinion in my opinion is very important
opinion in my opinion is very important to hear what foster parents have to say
to hear what foster parents have to say
to hear what foster parents have to say because usually they know what’s best
because usually they know what’s best
because usually they know what’s best for the child my mom for example is a
for the child my mom for example is a
for the child my mom for example is a very strong woman for her it was always
very strong woman for her it was always
very strong woman for her it was always very very important that we knew our
very very important that we knew our
very very important that we knew our genetic backgrounds I like to tell your
genetic backgrounds I like to tell your
genetic backgrounds I like to tell your story about that so when I was about
story about that so when I was about
story about that so when I was about five years old and someone just arrived
five years old and someone just arrived
five years old and someone just arrived in our family my mom wanted to visit my
in our family my mom wanted to visit my
in our family my mom wanted to visit my biological mom and went to the mental
biological mom and went to the mental
biological mom and went to the mental health clinic she couldn’t go straight
health clinic she couldn’t go straight
health clinic she couldn’t go straight to her and had to wait in a room
to her and had to wait in a room
to her and had to wait in a room when she entered that waiting room she
when she entered that waiting room she
when she entered that waiting room she said crying woman sitting there loving
said crying woman sitting there loving
said crying woman sitting there loving and hearing and open as my mom is she’s
and hearing and open as my mom is she’s
and hearing and open as my mom is she’s greatly went to that woman and comforted
greatly went to that woman and comforted
greatly went to that woman and comforted her so that woman told my mother story
her so that woman told my mother story
her so that woman told my mother story story about her little baby daughter who
story about her little baby daughter who
story about her little baby daughter who was taken away by child care services
was taken away by child care services
was taken away by child care services she even showed my mom a picture of her
she even showed my mom a picture of her
she even showed my mom a picture of her little baby daughter named Sandra that’s
little baby daughter named Sandra that’s
little baby daughter named Sandra that’s how my mother met son but biologically
how my mother met son but biologically
how my mother met son but biologically mother that’s how the contact between
mother that’s how the contact between
mother that’s how the contact between Sandra and her life biological mother
Sandra and her life biological mother
Sandra and her life biological mother was possible so my mom was very very
was possible so my mom was very very
was possible so my mom was very very happy about that she and my father were
happy about that she and my father were
happy about that she and my father were also very encouraging and Julia tried to
also very encouraging and Julia tried to
also very encouraging and Julia tried to find her biological background that’s
find her biological background that’s
find her biological background that’s very important my parents were never
very important my parents were never
very important my parents were never jealous they know
jealous they know
jealous they know that love needs to be shared and that’s
that love needs to be shared and that’s
that love needs to be shared and that’s a big point when you take in foster
a big point when you take in foster
a big point when you take in foster children you cannot eat well jealous you
children you cannot eat well jealous you
children you cannot eat well jealous you have to be very open open to the fact
have to be very open open to the fact
have to be very open open to the fact that there are biological parents who
that there are biological parents who
that there are biological parents who are somehow connected to your child but
are somehow connected to your child but
are somehow connected to your child but don’t be afraid a foster kid can love
don’t be afraid a foster kid can love
don’t be afraid a foster kid can love more than one parent because love is a
more than one parent because love is a
more than one parent because love is a passing forward concept never a
passing forward concept never a
passing forward concept never a competition so don’t be afraid but be
competition so don’t be afraid but be
competition so don’t be afraid but be loving as I told you before my sister is
loving as I told you before my sister is
loving as I told you before my sister is mean is mentally disabled that was never
mean is mentally disabled that was never
mean is mentally disabled that was never an issue for us we just went welcome to
an issue for us we just went welcome to
an issue for us we just went welcome to her as she was sometimes we may be felt
her as she was sometimes we may be felt
her as she was sometimes we may be felt sad from her because because we thought
sad from her because because we thought
sad from her because because we thought that her life might be harder than ours
that her life might be harder than ours
that her life might be harder than ours it soon we found out that she might be
it soon we found out that she might be
it soon we found out that she might be smaller than others might be slower
smaller than others might be slower
smaller than others might be slower maybe she will always be dependent on
maybe she will always be dependent on
maybe she will always be dependent on someone that and that’s what is
someone that and that’s what is
someone that and that’s what is important she is loving caring sweet and
important she is loving caring sweet and
important she is loving caring sweet and extremely panel really so we believed in
extremely panel really so we believed in
extremely panel really so we believed in her and she believed in us so this year
her and she believed in us so this year
her and she believed in us so this year she had enough confidence to attempt a
she had enough confidence to attempt a
she had enough confidence to attempt a special Olympic Winter Games here in
special Olympic Winter Games here in
special Olympic Winter Games here in Austria and guess what she won the gold
Austria and guess what she won the gold
Austria and guess what she won the gold medal
medal
medal [Music]
well Fabien it was a bit harder for us
well Fabien it was a bit harder for us siblings because his social issues were
siblings because his social issues were
siblings because his social issues were hard for us to accept but my parents
hard for us to accept but my parents
hard for us to accept but my parents even all the love they’ve got and
even all the love they’ve got and
even all the love they’ve got and through their example it couldn’t do
through their example it couldn’t do
through their example it couldn’t do anything else that welcome to so here in
anything else that welcome to so here in
anything else that welcome to so here in 13 years now and my parents are around
13 years now and my parents are around
13 years now and my parents are around 60 I see that they are exhausted I want
60 I see that they are exhausted I want
60 I see that they are exhausted I want them to relax now I want them to be able
them to relax now I want them to be able
them to relax now I want them to be able to cuddle their grandchildren so that’s
to cuddle their grandchildren so that’s
to cuddle their grandchildren so that’s why I offered to take in tagging with me
why I offered to take in tagging with me
why I offered to take in tagging with me to be this legal foster parent you see
to be this legal foster parent you see
to be this legal foster parent you see that is supported and loved goes on many
that is supported and loved goes on many
that is supported and loved goes on many people ask me why I would do them why at
people ask me why I would do them why at
people ask me why I would do them why at 13 I would take in a thirteen year old
13 I would take in a thirteen year old
13 I would take in a thirteen year old child with some problems well the only
child with some problems well the only
child with some problems well the only thing I could answer Danny was wouldn’t
thing I could answer Danny was wouldn’t
thing I could answer Danny was wouldn’t you take in your brother wouldn’t you
you take in your brother wouldn’t you
you take in your brother wouldn’t you break barriers for now thank you
break barriers for now thank you
break barriers for now thank you [Applause]
”
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