A college student who found an abandoned baby in a dumpster in Haiti took the infant into his care without hesitation, becoming his legal guardian as the authorities tried to make sense of the tragedy. Five years on, he has filed for adoption with the support of thousands of donors.
Jimmy Amisial, 27, from Haiti, is a student living in the United States. Visiting his mother in the city of Gonaives on New Year’s Eve 2017, his life took an unexpected turn when he approached a crowd of people gathered around a dumpster. Among the trash was a 4-month-old baby, and people thought the forsaken child was cursed.
“There is nothing about it I can’t remember,” Jimmy told The Epoch Times. “He was completely naked. He was intensely crying, I could hear the pain in his voice. He had fire ants on him and had some fire ant bites. They thought he had some evil spirits of some sort, that’s why they didn’t want touch him.
“With no hesitation, I proceeded to rescue the precious soul.”
With the baby in his arms, Jimmy sprinted to his mother, Elicie Jean’s, house to feed, bathe, and clothe him. That same night, he called the police, who launched an investigation. To date, the baby’s parents have never been traced.
Jimmy, who has long volunteered at orphanages near his mother’s home, remembers a judge asking him to take responsibility for the child by becoming his legal guardian. He was just 22 at the time.
“I was so surprised to hear that. It didn’t seem to be right, but I said I was going to think about it,” he said. “It’s a big responsibility. I was already behind and I couldn’t make ends meet; I was struggling financially to even pay for school.”
But after a few days’ consideration, Jimmy took a leap of faith and said yes. “I realized if you want to be great in life, you have to learn to face your challenges,” he said.
Jimmy’s mother took over caring for the baby, whom they named Emilio Angel Jeremiah, while he himself returned to the United States. But still, life was hard for the young Texas State University student. He was bouncing from one host family to the next, but soon realized that fulfilling responsibilities depends on one’s ability to make sacrifices.
“I had to take a break from school to take care of him; it was hard at the time,” he recalled.
Jimmy found work and began sending money back to his mother in Haiti for Emilio’s care. “I was able to help take care of him and send him to school, which I’m really proud of,” he said.
With a safe, loving home and a place in school, Emilio recovered from his tragic ordeal. In 2019, Jimmy decided once and for all to adopt the healthy, happy child as his own, but was unsure how he'd afford the legal fees.
“I’m profoundly grateful ... it hasn’t been easy, but it has certainly been a blessing,” Jimmy wrote on the fundraiser page on Aug. 11, adding that Emilio has finished his second year of school, is an exceptionally “smart kid,” and will start his third year in September.
“He started leaning Spanish, and he will start learning English this year,” Jimmy wrote.
After the adoption, any remaining funds will be put toward Emilio’s schooling, donated to Haitian orphanages, or used toward his final year of college tuition, said Jimmy.
He told The Epoch Times: “It’s so amazing to see how people from all over the world have come together to support this cause. I never thought it would be like that. I’m quite overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support; it really shows that love can connect people.”
Today, Emilio is almost 5 years old. His adoptive father describes him as an outgoing, funny boy who loves music, sports, and singing, and loves to smile.
It hasn’t been easy, said Jimmy, but his son is a blessing.
He added: “It is, of course, an incredible journey. It requires a lot of faith ... what faith does, you may not understand at first, but one day you will.
“I’m glad that I got the opportunity to transform his life from being abandoned in the trash to a wonderful treasure, a challenging journey that turned into a beautiful life lesson. Sometimes, life’s tough decisions also give us the strength to conquer and thrive.”
