May 18, 2021

Dancing was the only thing Alexis ever wanted to do. Her mother enrolled her in ballet class when she just 3 years old, and she fell in love with the art form. Ballet made her feel confident and strong. There was no place where she felt more at home than at a dance studio.

Initially, Alexis took classes at the local park district. But as she progressed, her teachers recommended that she attend a more expensive dance school. Her mother, a single parent, couldn’t really afford to pay for classes at this school. But she knew what it meant to Alexis, and took on a second job. She wanted to do everything she could to help Alexis could pursue her dreams.

Alexis idolized her mother. She was grateful for her mother’s support and many sacrifices. And because it was always just the two of them, they were extremely close. But everything changed when Alexis’s mother got a new boyfriend. Because of the multiple jobs, Alexis didn’t see much of her mother. Now, their time together was even more limited.

“Her mother’s personality seemed to change entirely around her boyfriend.”

But less time together wasn’t the only thing that changed. Her mother’s personality seemed to change entirely around her boyfriend. The couple often stayed out late, drinking too much. Her mother was even fired from her second job for sleeping in and missing too many days.

When Alexis’s mother announced that they would be moving in with her boyfriend, Alexis’s heart sank. She didn’t like their relationship, and she didn’t want to leave the apartment where she had lived all her life.

Once they moved into their new home, things went from bad to worse. Her mother’s boyfriend convinced her that spending money on ballet lessons for Alexis was an unnecessary expense. And, without the income from her second job, Alexis’s mother agreed. For the first time in over a decade, Alexis could no longer find comfort in her favorite activity.

Alexis’s mother and her boyfriend threw a lot of parties. Alexis hated being around all of the drunken people in her home. Some of the male guests acted inappropriately toward her, but neither her mother nor her boyfriend did anything about it. And without the dance studio to escape to, Alexis felt trapped.

Though it would have seemed unthinkable to Alexis a year before, she knew now that her home was no longer a safe or healthy environment for her. She began researching other options on the internet, and that’s where she discovered Mercy Home. When she asked her mother if she could move in, it didn’t take much for her to agree. Apparently having a teenage daughter didn’t fit into her mother’s new life with her boyfriend.

“For so long, it felt like there was no one she could talk to. That was different now.”

Alexis was extremely depressed when she first came to our Home. She felt rejected and alone. Though she appreciated the quiet and safe environment Mercy Home provided, she missed her old life with her mother—before the boyfriend came into the picture.

But there was one benefit—Alexis’s mother agreed to participate in family therapy with her. And Alexis liked meeting alone with her therapist, too. For so long, it felt like there was no one she could talk to. That was different now. We also helped Alexis begin taking dance lessons again, and she was relieved to again have dance as a coping skill.

Today, Alexis’s relationship with her mother is slowly improving. Though things may never be like they were before, Alexis knows that she has another family to rely upon: her Mercy Home family.

Thank you for all your prayers and support of kids like Alexis. Your kindness is life-changing!

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A SPECIAL PARTNERSHIP FOR THE SAKE OF MERCY’S KIDS AND FOR OUR TELEVISED SUNDAY MASS

You can make a difference in the life of a troubled child. Fr. Scott needs Partners to pray for our kids at Mercy Home–and also faithful Partners to help broadcast Sunday Mass at Mercy Home.

By pledging your support and your prayers, you’re offering a precious gift to Mercy’s kids–and helping our community of faith join together every week.

The boys and girls of Mercy Home are very proud of the difference they are able to make just by sharing their time and heart with others. None of this would be possible without our kind, faithful supporters, for not only sharing their friendship but for also setting an example of generosity and compassion for them to follow. During this month, please keep the young people of Mercy Home and all of our generous benefactors in your thoughts and prayers.