A Letter to My Foster Parents

Lainie Hartley spent her childhood living in the poorest communities in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She was neglected and exposed to abuse. As a result, she was in and out of foster and kinship care. At 15, she ran away from her foster home and embarked on a naïve and lonesome independence that continued the cycle of abuse and trauma. At 19, Hartley entered a recovery program and changed the course of her life. She met and married her husband, Levi, and went to college to study mental illness, developmental disability and dual diagnosis, graduating with honors. Her studies led her to pursue a relationship with her mother, who was still living with physical and mental illness. Hartley and her siblings advocated for her and were able to see her receive treatment. In late 2023, Hartley moved her mother into her family’s home, and became her caregiver. Hartley and Levi are biological and adoptive parents to three children, living in a small rural area outside of London, Ontario. Her memoir, “Simply Neglect,” is now available for purchase through major retailers.