LaTonya’s Story – A Change of Heart
My mom didn’t want me when I was growing up. She even told me so. Both of my parents were drug abusers, and I was often neglected. They sometimes locked me out of the house. I wouldn’t wish my childhood on anybody. As a teenager, I decided to leave that toxic environment, and I…
Robert’s Story
Sometimes you’ve got to hit rock bottom before you can look up. At least that’s what happened to Robert. He’d made a lot of poor choices along the way — substance abuse, anger issues — and spent some time in jail. “But I didn’t care at the time,” he says. “Not even about going…
Shaquonna’s Story
Shaquonna was a runner. “I went into foster care when I was 13 and I ran away a lot. If I didn’t want to be somewhere and felt uncomfortable, I ran,” she admits. She recalls her “crazy childhood”, one filled with poverty, abuse and turmoil. Running became Shaquonna’s solution to the hardships she experienced,…
Andre’s Story
Andre was only ten years old when his mother brought drugs into the house. “Crack came into our lives because my mom started using it,” he remembers. School provided an escape for a while — but as he watched his mother sink deeper and deeper into addiction, eventually, it took hold of Andre’s life,…
Christina’s Story
Looking back, Christina remembers a childhood of neglect, abuse and brokenness — leaving her with painful memories and deep despair. “My stepfather was an alcoholic and very abusive,” she explains. Because of that, “I had major depression, posttraumatic stress and bad anxiety for a long time.” Christina left home at just 16 years old.…
Steve’s Story
"I didn’t grow up with the aspiration of one day becoming an addict or a gang member — but that’s what I became. And now, after my time at MRM, I know that if it had not been for God’s love, mercy and grace, I would not be here today. I had a rough…
Samuel’s Story
“I grew up thinking I couldn’t amount to anything. My father was abusive and my mother was a prostitute. It left a negative impact on my life.” Without parental guidance and love, it wasn’t long before Samuel dropped out of school and joined a gang. “Instead of working, I chose the cowardly way out…
Paulette’s Story
“I was in a dark place, and I had just lost my mom. Everything was just dark for me then.” Paulette had moved to Milwaukee to fulfill her dream of going to culinary arts school and becoming a chef. But her dream unraveled when her living situation fell through, leaving her nowhere to go.…
Patrick’s Story
“I had a lot of anger issues … I had a very violent life. I even ended up in a penitentiary three times.” Patrick wasn’t always angry. As a young child, he remembers, “We had a nice house, and everything was beautiful.” But after his parents divorced, his life slipped into a downward spiral.…
Jeffery’s Story
“When I was young, I didn’t know it, but I was angry a lot. I believe that’s because of the situation I grew up in,” Jeffery admits. He was raised in an unhappy, unstable home — one full of brokenness, drugs and divorce. As Jeffery got older, he grew resentful … and rebellious. His…
