A Chance To Heal
Marie’s daughter had recently graduated high school when the unthinkable happened. The bright, energetic 19-year-old passed away unexpectedly — a victim of the fentanyl crisis.
Marie couldn’t make sense of it. In a desperate bid to numb the pain, she turned to drugs herself.
To make matters – Marie worse, Marie’s personal tragedy was playing out in the early days of the COVID pandemic. She’d been living in California, far away from loved ones in her native Oklahoma. Now she felt the acute pain of isolation.
“I remember just wanting to go home,” Marie says. “I needed a hug from my family.” Marie planned to move in with her mother and younger sister. She’d regroup from there and begin a new life closer to her support system. But it wasn’t to be. Marie’s sister died of COVID before she even arrived back in the state.
The reality of Marie’s situation was finally setting in. She had no place to go. No means to support herself. Not even an ID. Thanks to your support, City Rescue Mission was ready to receive her with open arms.
“I was in an almost catatonic state,” Marie says. “Losing a child is the worst thing imaginable. Then add everything else. It’s a testament to the power of this place that they brought me out of it.”
Marie’s progress has been slow but steady. Case managers are guiding her through her grief. Work therapy brings a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Today, she’s responsible for all the laundry in our emergency shelter. The misery and despair that once stained her life have finally begun to fade. She’s allowing herself to imagine a future.
“I want you to know that this Mission restores hope,” Marie shares. “It really does. If it wasn’t for this place, I don’t know where I would be. Thank you for giving me the chance to heal.”
