At 7-years-old, Andrew Bridge was forced into foster care after authorities declared his mother Hope unfit to raise him. Barely an adult herself and with little money, Hope’s mental instability made for an unsound and unpredictable home environment—yet regardless of her illness, the deep and impenetrable love she shared with her son was the one thing they both clinged to. Andrew had to literally be pulled from his mother’s arms—a nightmare immensely painful, as there was nothing they both wanted more than to just be with each other. Though he had not desired or sought escape from the home he had known, the reprieve that foster care was intended to be for Andrew was no such thing—it was a cruel and loveless environment, and without his mother, he felt more lost and alone than ever. Andrew endured 11 years in foster care—an unfortunate irony, as he wasn’t provided with any care at all. The abuse he suffered at the hands of the very adults designated to offer him a better life tried and tested his faith and confidence day after day.With all odds working against him, Andrew discovered that success in academia would bring him the escape he needed from the constant hell of his foster home, and he resisted any urges to run away or give up. The HOPE he never let go of and his relentless hard work through his teenage years ultimately earned him a scholarship to Wesleyan, followed by a law degree from Harvard.

Andrew Bridge earned a scholarship to Wesleyan, and went on to Harvard Law School and was a Fulbright Scholar.  He has dedicated his life to giving a voice to the thousands of children tragically reliving his youth by defending the rights of children nationwide.  Today, Andrew lives in New York City.