Already at the young age of 16, Oscar has had a difficult life. His father was killed, leaving his family in a state of lasting grief and confusion. His mother turned to drugs and alcohol, using all of their money to sustain her addiction. Her choices caused the circumstances surrounding Oscar to escalate to the point that his mom would beat him in an inebriated rage and leave him behind with a family member for months on end.

To escape from the life-threatening danger that his mom’s substance abuse placed him in, Oscar was sent to live with his grandmother. Over the first few years of living apart, he was still able to maintain contact with his mom. However, the last time he would talk to her was on September 19, 2020, Oscar’s 15th birthday.

To his deep anguish, Oscar discovered less than three months later that his mother had been murdered. Despondent and confused, he wavered between feelings of loneliness, being misunderstood and even at times losing the will to continue living. He didn’t know where to turn. He felt like no one could see or hear him. He felt utterly isolated.

But then his family found Hope Harbor.

Since coming to Hope Harbor Rip Tide, Oscar has experienced an unwavering upward trajectory. The structure of school and tutoring has allowed him to succeed in his academics. He has enjoyed becoming plugged in at youth group and meeting new friends at church. Through counseling and case management, Oscar finally feels like there are people who can see who he is and understand what he’s feeling.

He says, “There are people that take care of me and understand me. It’s like a family for me.” Hope Harbor provided the parental figures he needed to open up and learn how to express his feelings and emotions.

With your support, the void that was left by his mother’s death is now being filled with people who genuinely love him. Thank you for being a part of Oscar’s story of redemption.