Please help support a young teen mom who is working hard to overcome impossible odds. 

As a retired law enforcement officer, disabled veteran with PTSD, and someone who grew up in an abusive home, I can recognize a real victim of childhood trauma and domestic violence when I see it. Not only because of my own experiences, but that of countless others over the past 20+ years.

While PTSD is most commonly associated with veterans and first responders, anyone can get it as the result of abuse and trauma. 

Recently I was contacted by an incredibly bright and strong young woman named Kai whom I've known  since she was 13 years old. Knowing Kai's background, I wasn't surprised to learn she had become another statistic by entering into an abusive relationship and become a mom at the age of 17.  

In learning what she was going through and the desire to escape and rise above her situation, I drove out of state to rescue her with the hope of providing her with a stable safe environment and a healthy new beginning for her and her 15 month old baby. 

Now that she's 18 and I'm retired, I'm in a position to actually help her.  After years of trying to help victims in similar circumstances, I can finally help someone not only escape, but overcome their abuser(s). It is imperative to break the cycle, not only for her, but for her one year old daughter so that she won't grow up in an abusive environment and follow the same traumatic pattern. 

In a matter of a week, she has accomplished three major goals. She received her HS Diploma on the first try taking the required exams, obtained her drivers license and has been accepted into a local college after receiving a Pell Grant to pursue a career in nursing. Soon she hopes to find a part time job that will allow her to earn money while attending school and raising her daughter. 

Kai is an amazing mother to her one year old daughter and if given the chance and tools necessary, she will rise up and thrive as a successful productive adult. 

As a single mom myself, I am amazed at her strength and determination. I'm incredibly proud of what she has accomplished in such a short amount of time and her strength to overcome her past. 

While I am able to provide her with a safe place to live and assist with childcare, she needs a car to get her to and from school and work, additional educational needs, baby supplies, medical expenses etc. 

She has no financial support of any kind and is unable to apply for state benefits until she is divorced. Sadly, expenses don't stop and the legal system takes forever. 

Any and all support would be tremendously appreciated in an effort to give this strong young lady and her baby a fighting chance in this world. Every little bit helps. 

Thank you and God Bless for taking the time to read this.