Dee and her family moved to Florida from Haiti when she was a young child. She and her twin sister lived with their father and stepmother in the following years. They moved around a lot and occasionally had to live with their aunt and uncle. During these years the girls were physically and sexually abused. When the abuse was discovered, Dee and her sister were placed in foster care.
There were no foster homes willing to accept two 14 year old girls, but FCF had space so the two moved in. Dee struggled to adjust to her new environment. She was angry about the things that had happened to her and didn’t know how to express that anger. After just one month in foster care she was expelled from school. Her anger consumed her. FCF worked quickly to connect her with appropriate counseling services and enrolled her at Positive Pathways. With guidance from her counselor, teachers, and Ms. Lori, one of our house parents, Dee was able to successfully transition back into high school. She still struggles with anger, but she has learned to channel it into productivity.
Dee is 16 now and wants to stay with Ms. Lori in our home until she is 18. She was just nominated for the National Academy of Future Physicians Award of Excellence for her outstanding academic achievement and leadership potential. Dee volunteers at a local hospital where she files and spends time with patients. Dee’s story with FCF, is not just one of progress, but of healing and growth beyond the trauma of her early life.