When Davion stood in front of a 300-strong congregation at St Mark Missionary Baptist Church in St Petersburg, Florida he was desperate. The 15-year-old had spent his whole life in foster care and wanted nothing more than a normal family life.
He announced: "My name is Davion and I've been in foster care since I was born ... I know God hasn't given up on me. So I'm not giving up either."
"Old or young, dad or mom, black, white, purple. I'll take anyone. "
"I'll be really appreciative."
He never expected the outpouring of support he would receive from around the world.
Since his heart-felt plea in front of his church, world-wide attention in newspapers, on television and across social media sites has resulted in more than 10,000 requests to adopt him.
"Some of them already have [the required] adoptive-home setting," Connie Going, his grateful caseworker, told The View yesterday.
Davion was born while his mother was in jail and has been placed in foster care more times than he can count. But none of the arrangements lasted and he has never found his 'forever family'. He's been rejected more times than he can count.
His full name is Davion Navar Henry Only and he knows the meaning of all of his names - beloved, brown, ruler of the home, the one and only. And yet he feels anything but beloved. In three years time he can move out and live on his own instead of with 12 other foster kids who all sharing a bathroom and struggle with their own issues. But he's not counting down the day. Before he comes of age, Davion wants a family of his own so he can be normal.
Earlier this year he decided to track down his birth mother, only to find she had died in June, just before he began his search.
At first he became depressed and angry. Then he realised, with a maturity beyond his years, that he was the only one who could make his dreams come true. He buckled down at school and finished Year 10, scoring As in all subjects except geometry. He lost 18 kilos. And he figured out a plan to find a family to take care of him.