Shari’s childhood was marked by chaos, addiction and abuse. Her mom called her a loser who would never amount to anything — even admitting she wished Shari had never been born. The emotional abuse from a young age took a toll on Shari, as did the sexual abuse she endured at the hands of other family members.

But there was a fighting spirit inside Shari. She never stayed quiet about what she endured, instead speaking up to tell anyone who would listen. She ran away from home at age 17, determined to build a better life. Yet she lacked the emotional maturity she needed to succeed. It wasn’t long before Shari found herself in an abusive relationship and pregnant.

When Brianna was 8 years old, she found her stepfather dead. Her childhood hadn’t been easy before that. Her parents struggled with addiction, and Brianna and her siblings spent time in foster care.

But her stepfather’s death was a trauma Brianna couldn’t get past. As she got older, she tried using drugs to push it to the back of her mind. She stopped going to school regularly, and she experienced homelessness.

David’s life turned upside down when his stepfather passed away. He’d been a part of their family since David was little, and David called him “Dad.” Then, David’s mother lost her battle with cancer – and the once strong family crumbled into complete destruction.

Before losing his parents, David’s life had been a happy one. With six siblings, there was always something to do. But after seeing sickness and death in his parents at a young age, David struggled to cope.

Douglas did well professionally. He worked in photography, clockmaking and quality control. But throughout his career he struggled with addiction. It started when his parents died – his dad from alcohol abuse, and his mom from cancer. Douglas turned to alcohol to numb his grief.

Even though Douglas spent years as a functioning alcoholic, his past eventually caught up with him to the point that he needed intensive mental health treatment. When he was released, he had nowhere to go – so he came to the Christian Aid Center.

Eddie loved his mom – so much so that he moved across the country and into her home to help take care of her. He had struggled with alcohol in the past, but he was trying to leave that behind.

While Eddie was away for a few days, his sister made a decision that would change his life forever. She moved their mom into a nursing home, cleaned out the apartment where they were living and left Eddie with nothing.

Tyler wanted his old life back — but for the past few years, he’d felt trapped by mental illness. It all started shortly after he graduated from college back in 2002. He was coaching basketball and looking into a career in the mortgage industry. When he was invited to go on a mission trip to Haiti, he gladly volunteered, but sadly, that was the beginning of his journey with mental health issues.

When she was young, difficulties at home led Destiny to turn to food for comfort. Binge eating became an addiction that plagued her for years. 

As she entered adulthood, finding a job proved challenging, if not impossible. Employers tended to overlook Destiny due to her disabilities, which were yet undiagnosed and left her confined to a wheelchair. “I had no confidence, and just felt worthless,” she says.