Submitted article and photo
What do you do when you think you have faced the worst days of your life and then it becomes even more tragic?
This is the reality that Tina, a grandmother, faced in June of 2022.
Tina describes her childhood as difficult — having faced abuse, being placed in foster care, and receiving lots of counseling. Perhaps this challenging childhood helped her develop the resiliency and will-to-survive which she would need for what would lay ahead. Tina is a hard working individual and has held various jobs, everything from driving a truck to working in health care.
Her adult life took a tragic turn in 2017 when her 18-year-old daughter developed severe medical problems and eventually died from complications. During this time, Tina’s husband’s health was declining and he was put on dialysis. He passed away in 2018. To further complicate the situation, in 2019, Tina sustained serious injuries in an accident that left her with some permanent disabilities.
Tina became depressed and thought she could face no more. She describes her life as being filled with “darkness.” When she thought things could not get any worse, disaster struck again.
In June of 2022, Tina lost her second daughter in a house fire. Her two-year-old grandson sustained burns over 70 percent of his body and was not expected to live.
Little Bentley spent 3 ½ months in the hospital, followed by almost a year in a rehab facility. He has had 32 surgeries and faces many more surgeries and medical rehab.
Grandma Tina and Bentley give a “thumbs-up” for their future.
Grandma Tina’s resiliency and caring spirit helped her to seek custody of Bentley. But, before he could come to live with her, she needed to move out of her trailer into a safe, handicap-assessable place.
Bentley is now in Tina’s custody and they are working toward adoption. He is a lively, talkative little three year old, who loves riding his green tractor and playing with his emergency responder equipment. He especially enjoys watching police and first responders drive by his apartment. With continued help, the future looks hopeful for him.
Tina wishes to thank the community and everyone who gave assistance to her family, especially the Society of St. Vincent DePaul.
The Society helped her with everything from energy assistance, to obtaining furniture and appliances, to helping her get into a suitable apartment that could accommodate for all of their needs. (The Society of St. Vincent DePaul collaborates with many other entities in trying to help neighbors-in-need.)
According to Tina, “The Society of St. Vincent DePaul truly helped turn my life from darkness to light. Their support and prayers helped me to see a hopeful future for Bentley and me. I don’t think I could have made it without their assistance. They helped move my life from despair to hope.”