Kuto had a very sad life. He was born in Croatia and his family was poor. His father died when he was young and his mother could not afford to keep him. Kuto had to fend for himself from a very early age. He learned how to survive on the streets and became a master pickpocket. He also learned how to fight, which came in handy when he had to defend himself from other street kids or adults who tried to take advantage of him.
Despite all the hardships he faced, Kuto never gave up hope of one day finding a better life. When he was sixteen, he finally got his chance. A kind-hearted American woman who was visited Croatia as part of her work with the Red Cross noticed Kuto and took pity on him. She arranged for him to come live with her in the United States and promised to help him get an education and start a new life.
Kuto arrived in America with nothing but the clothes on his back and quickly realized that everything here was different than what he was used to back home. But he adapted quickly, eager to learn about this new country and its people