I wanted to let each of you know of my sincere appreciation for what you have done for my son.
As you know, our journey has been a very long one. I have always loved Bobby but, at times, could not stand to be near him. I thought his addiction would surely kill one or both of us. I would have given any of my limbs and even my life if I thought I could save him.
After sending Bobby to the best treatment centers in the country and thousands upon thousands of dollars later, he never seemed to get any better. I was feeling hopeless that he could ever have a normal life or a future. I felt fearful, sad, inadequate as a mother, and depression had set in.
How we got to Foundation House is a mystery. I think God was just tired of my constant begging Him for mercy on Bobby’s behalf. After kicking him out of our home and sending him to Tampa for 3 years, I let him come home one weekend because I thought he was schizophrenic. I knew I needed to at least try to help him one more time. I explained to him he had one last shot of getting well and he would need to pick a place and stay there for several years. He randomly picked Maine??? I had never been there before and knew nothing about it, except, it was at the other end of the world.. and Maine lobster. (LOL)
After reading the web page for FH, we picked it. I must have read every detail on the website at least 10 times a day. I truly thought it was “too good to be true”. I loved the concept, “teaching the boys to live a sober life with money in their pocket.” Having fun sober, learning to exist with a cell phone, a computer, keeping things clean, cooking, supporting each other and mainly BUDGETS, navigating REAL life sober! I don’t think he had ever achieved any of that before.
Bobby liked the part, “FH is not a PROGRAM, it’s an opportunity.” He said he would refuse to go to another program.
I have to tell you that what you have done for Bobby has far exceeded my expectations. The transformation and maturity I’ve seen is nothing short of a miracle. I finally have my son back!
Each of you have played a huge roll in his success and growth. Although, he still has some more growing and moving forward to do, he is better now than he has been in 14 years.
I thank-you Patrick, for all the opportunities you have given Bobby, for believing in him enough to give him a chance to work. I thank you for your help in making it possible for him to stay there for almost 2 years. You have been generous with your time and financial help. I thank-you from the bottom of my heart, and know that without you, this transformation in Bobby would not have been possible.
I thank-you Woody, for your constant caring, helping, guiding, not putting up with his BS, teaching him to grow up and be the man he is meant to be, the man he likes to see in the mirror. Thank-you for the times you didn’t give up on him but redirected him to Four Circles, teaching him to budget, save money, (which is huge in itself). I see him more grateful than ever for what people do for him. I know you taught him to give back to the other boys and be a stand-up guy. You have gone above and beyond helping and guiding me on decisions that needed to be made. Thank-you, Thank-you!
Chris, I want to thank-you as well. Without the wilderness training and your help it would not have been possible for him to continue on. I thank-you for helping him work through his fear and rejection of going back to FH. You and Woody work so well together, like a well-oiled machine. I know Bobby grew through his experience At Four circles. He loved it there.
When Bobby was at Four Circles I had to write an impact letter to him. In the letter I told Bobby, while he was on drugs he had become the “beast” like the beast from “Beauty and the Beast”. Bobby had grown up like royalty, he was the heir apparent. He grew up in the best neighborhood, went to the best private college prep school, had a family that adored him, tons of wonderful friends who truly love him, was amazing at sports, and was written up every week in the paper for his football plays. He was accepted on a baseball team that most boys dreamed of being on. (none of his friends made the cut)
The prince had it all but, he fell under the spell of drugs. He bought into the lies, took the drugs and quickly became the isolated “beast”. He now lived a sad, lonely, life and gave up all the things he loved. Everyone was afraid of him, he lost it all.
Bobby needed to be rescued, as the story goes, he needed his enchanted helpers to draw him out of the drug induced isolation he was trapped in. Each of you were his enchanted helpers, encouraging, and helping him learn to change, and learn to once again love himself. To be the guy he would he would love to see in the mirror.
Thanks to all of you Bobby is happy and thriving. For the first time in years he has a relationship with his sisters. His family loves who he is becoming, he has good healthy relationships with family, and friends. He laughs again, he sees a bright and happy future ahead of him.
Thank-you, Thank-you, each of you, so very much for all that you have done to make this miracle possible. You are each enchanted to us and have made a dream come true. Your programs have not only given him the skills and a new way of thinking but, he now is able to help other people to achieve their full potential. This new found confidence is also giving him the skills to “hold himself to higher standards” This is truly amazing.
Linda G.
Louisiana
Parent of Foundation House Resident 2017
