Never sitting still, moving constantly from school to school, not having any life stability. This has been the life of junior Brent Nelson, up until last year at least. In December 2013 Brent moved in with his distant relatives, Gary and Jill Jansen. Despite not being close with them previously, he has enjoyed his time with the Jansens and the stability their home provides.

“I wasn’t getting along with my mom and it just seemed like the better place to live and this seemed like a good school,” Brent said. “They were just better people to live with.”

Technically speaking Brent isn’t even related to the Jansens, but according to Brent’s almost-sister Elizabeth Jansen, Jill knew almost immediately that she wanted Brent to move in.

“She is very, very motherly and enjoys being able to help other people,” Elizabeth said.

Brent had lived a hectic life, moving from school to school for his dad’s job. But when the Jansens met him in the summer of 2013, they knew him moving in would be helpful for him. They wanted to provide him with a safe environment where he could be a kid, and have normal kid worries.

“I don’t have to worry about really anything, besides school,” Brent said.

Brent’s girlfriend, senior Sidney Sheridan, has known him since he first started at FHN and she has seen a difference in the way he’s acted, and how the Jansens have influenced him.

“They care about his grades and it makes him try harder in school,” Sidney said.

Brent grew up living with his father, and the summer before his sophomore year he moved in with grandfather, before being transitioned to his mom’s house that fall. He’d had issues with his parents in the past. They often bickered, and his parents were not pushing him to be reach his full potential as a student. So that December it was decided that Gary and Jill would be able to provide a better and more positive home for him.

“They’ve been a really good role model for me,” Brent said. “They’ve helped me a lot over the last year to be a better berson and I’ve really appreciated that.”

But the transition into the family wasn’t totally simple. It took time for Brent and his newfound siblings to acclimate to living together, especially for Elizabeth, who not only shared a house, but a grade with Brent.

“It was of course hard for me to be around him, because I didn’t know him and he is just like this random person that showed up into my life, but now he’s like my best friend and he hangs out with all my best friends,” Elizabeth said.

Brent plans on staying with the Jansens and continuing to improve himself. He knows how helpful the Jansens have been, and at the end of the day they were happy to help their new family member.

“I’m just happy that he’s here with us,” Elizabeth said.