Client Story

“After experiencing consecutive head traumas at the beginning of this year, our son developed some devastating mental symptoms. Unfortunately, we found many doors closed to us and were in a constant battle to get help. We felt voiceless and in constant fear that we were going to lose our son, and our family seemed to be falling apart. Everything changed when the OPP put a call out to WAY.

Due to our unique situation, we assumed that we would be facing another closed door. We couldn’t have been more wrong. Suddenly we had this amazing supportive team working together to get our family the help and resources we needed. Our son was offered a safe place to recover and so much more.

Dan from WAY connected with our son daily, either a quick, “Hey buddy, how’s everything going today?” or a deep conversation about his future, education possibilities, and so much more. Dan listened and showed our son that he is valuable; in response our son found his smile, then his laugh, and now he is planning for his future.

When we took our son to the emergency apartment, I was blown away at the effort made to make him feel safe and comfortable. The thrifted furniture was cozy and clean. There were kitchen essentials and even a fan. What I really want to emphasize, however, was something I actually never considered essential before: Dan ensures that everyone has new linens and towels. Seeing every dime being so thoughtfully spent to ensure that these kids feel valued and that someone cares about them still makes me emotional. It may seem insignificant, but the impact was huge, not only on our son, but also on us as terrified parents leaving their scared child. Dan offered a sense of home when life was in chaos.

We know without a doubt that WAY and Dan saved our son’s life. We cannot find the words to express our gratitude. I know that our family has been forever changed because of these compassionate people who are determined to do everything they can to be the change they desperately want to see.”