Tricia

I’m Tricia. When I really needed help, I felt in my heart that the Mission was a good place for me. Now I have the confidence in myself that I’ve never had before.

Because my dad was an abusive alcoholic and drug addict, I grew up with just my mom. So I saw what it was like to bring up kids as a single parent. As a high school senior I got pregnant, and the father was abusive toward me before he went to prison. After two fizzled marriages and three more children, I had my hands full. Being very independent, I worked hard to care for my kids. And my mother was sick, so I cared for her too.

The year my mother passed away, my life suddenly broke. I wanted to die without her. Then a family member assaulted me and freaked out the children. Heroin became the way I coped. I used heroin for five years, gave up my housing, and walked away from everything. When I really felt like I let my children down, I finally looked for help.

After finding the Mission, I spent a tough first three days. But I felt in my heart it was a good place, and my gut told me not to give up. The community is great. I’m letting go of resentments, building confidence like never before, and learning how to love myself. I can still be the loving, caring person that I am without people taking advantage of me.

Now I’m living life on my own terms—not others, and not by the drugs. I don’t want the rich kind of life where I have everything I want, but I want the rich kind of life where I have everything I need. I’m looking into school as a nursing assistant, and getting my family back.

To Mission supporters, thank you for believing in me. We need more people like you in the world.