This scripture could not hold truer for Molly, a mother of three wonderful young men. Dean and twins, Devon and Drew were Molly’s world. She and her husband went to all lengths to make sure their children wanted for nothing. A devoted mom who would do anything for her children and did.
Her oldest, Dean, was an all-around good student, a star athlete, and loved by everyone. He was “Mr. Popular,” according to Molly. It was during his high school career that Molly and her husband learned of Dean’s drug and alcohol use. Although Dean appeared to have things under control, Molly prayed continuously that her son would be okay. Dean was soon college bound, having received an athletic scholarship, and was ready to take on the world.
When Dean was away at college, Molly began to see the destructive path he was heading down. “He was no longer the big fish in a little pond,” said Molly. “He was now a tiny fish in a big ocean, and he didn’t know how to handle it.” His drug abuse became worse, he dropped out of two separate colleges over a two-year period and was in and out of trouble with the law. The first time Dean went to jail, Molly was devastated. His behavior was tearing her apart.
While trying to manage Dean’s destructive behavior, Molly and her husband were also in the midst of helping their son, Drew, who suffered from severe depression. Drew lived away at college and would come home occasionally for the weekend, like any normal college student would. His last visit home was nothing short of normal. A family dinner, going out for ice cream, and coffee together in the morning. Drew headed back to school and shortly thereafter, and out of nowhere, he tragically and sadly took his own life, sending Molly, and the rest of the family, into a state of hopelessness.
After the loss of her son, Drew, Molly didn’t think things could get worse. However, Dean’s drug use escalated, and he ended up in jail again. At this point, Molly and her husband would spare no expense to save their son. They had already endured the painful loss of one child, they would not lose another if they could help it. Dean was sent to some of the finest drug rehabilitation centers in the nation, to no avail.
Molly watched her son use anyone and everyone to get what he wanted, even if it meant stealing from his family. She watched helplessly as he was burning the only bridges he had left to stand on.
Molly was living in complete terror of what could happen next and the thought of losing another child was almost enough to break her. Out of jail and out of rehab, Dean moved to Florida which did not bode well for him. In trouble with the law once again, he found himself in jail and this time, Molly and her husband had had enough.
Once released from jail, Molly did one of the hardest things she had ever done as a mother. She gave Dean but one choice, “Go to Grace Centers of Hope and get the help you need or don’t come home.” Reluctantly, and only for his mom, Dean entered the One-Year Life Skills Program. What Molly didn’t realize is it was the best gift she would ever give her son. Over the course of a year, Molly watched her son’s life transform into the man she knew was hiding behind all his demons.
Dean graduated the one-year program and his parents welcomed him home with open arms. However, something in Dean had changed and he chose to stay at Grace Centers of Hope. He moved into the two-year Aftercare Program in Little Grace Village, began working for Grace Centers of Hope, and is newly married.
“I had lost all faith in anything good for my son, but Grace Centers of Hope changed that. They not only saved my son’s life, but they also saved mine as well,” said Molly.