Stockton Athlete, Author Turns Foster Care Into Purpose

You may have seen JackEdward Schmick last week on ABC's Good Morning America, where he was interviewed by host Michael Strahan about his childhood in the foster care program and the charity he founded at age 10 to help other children in foster care.

JackEdward, 20, is a sophomore at Stockton University and a runner on the Stockton Cross Country and Track and Field teams.

He is also an author, having written a memoir called Your Biggest Opponent, which was released last year.

The Inspiration for Bags for Buddies

JackEward Schmick told Michael Strahan he spent five years - ages 5 to 10 -- in the foster care system before being adopted.

He says he remembers having his possessions thrown together in black garbage bags every time he was relocated or removed from a foster care home.

After he was adopted, he thought back on how demoralizing it was to see your life's possessions be thrown into a trash bag, and he spoke with his adoptive mother about trying to come up with a better way to handle the transition during relocation.

That was the inspiration for his charity. He started collecting backpacks and duffel bags and has so far donated over 100 bags. He calls them “Bags for Buddies” and founded an organization to reach foster kids throughout New Jersey.

The bags serve their purpose in packing, but they carry a much greater mission. “The bags give a little bit of happiness,” he said.

“I love to see how it impacts others,” he added.

Running as Therapy

In an article about JackEward Schmick on the Stockton website, he tells the story of looking for a way to channel frustrations from his young life in foster care as he got older.

After having little luck with regular therapy sessions, he met Guy Gordon in the 5th grade, a former pro athlete and a personal trainer, who invited him to go for a run.

As they ran together, the two talked, and Gordon asked him about his life and the kids at school.

“He taught me that I can use other avenues to channel my frustration and feelings rather than just balling them up. Running became my therapy. That's how I could channel my energy.

I took that idea and ran with it. I'm trying to show other people that there are other avenues, besides balling it up or going to counseling, like art or sports,” he explained.

A Runner & an Author

In his memoir, JackEdward takes readers on a journey from his earliest struggles to becoming a successful college athlete and dedicated advocate for change.

Balancing life as a competitive cross-country runner and track athlete with his academics and his charity, he exemplifies what it means to rise above circumstances and achieve greatness.

More than just a story of survival, this book is a celebration of resilience, personal growth, and the pursuit of dreams.

JackEdward is studying Psychology at Stockton because he wants to learn everything about how the brain works, and he hopes to become a counselor to help kids who are in the same shoes he was once in.

"I want to make therapy easier and more efficient for other people. You can't come out of foster care or go through a traumatic event and be perfectly normal,” he said.

One thing Schmick wants people to remember is to embrace failure as part of life's learning curve.

"It's never over. If you hit rock bottom, there's no further down. You can only go up. Find something to believe in, to hold on to, because you're not going to always have the feeling of confidence. You're going to need hope or faith from somewhere. There's always an answer or solution to a problem, and sometimes it just takes time to figure it out.”