“It struck me how just an afternoon of hearing about all of my flaws and how those flaws—my flaws—were used in the choice of another person.”
‘You don’t measure up to other women.’ He detailed all my flaws. It cost me thousands.’: Divorcee details journey to self-worth, ‘Healing is beautiful’
‘My husband decided to leave. ‘You won’t get a newborn because you’re single.’ I listened to the heartbreaking situations.’: Woman becomes foster mama after divorce, ‘My life is full of beauty’
“I sat my two children down and we had a conversation about foster care. I told them, ‘It will be hard to love on a baby and then have to say goodbye.’ They were both in.”
‘PROMISE you won’t end up like me. I want you to be more.’ I was bewildered by her words. They would change my life.’: Daughter of immigrants is first to graduate college, ‘YOU have the power’
“‘I’m afraid I won’t learn how to read.’ They decided to put me in special education classes despite not having a learning disability. I even googled ‘how to make it to college,’ but was still lost. I was on my own.”
‘The police came, and my mother hid my brother. ‘Where is he?’ I couldn’t leave. I had to protect them.’: Woman survives abuse, abandonment as she helps raise 4 special needs siblings
“My step-father would hide food and I wasn’t allowed to sit with them. Then I got pregnant at 17. I had to run and hide wherever I found a good place, and sometimes it was too late. I had to protect my brothers.”
‘I shouted, ‘Help my mom! She can’t breathe!’ I saw a priest coming toward me, this was either a dream or we were dead.’
“I remember whispering, ‘Don’t leave me.’ She barely whispered in Vietnamese, ‘I can’t breathe.'”
