Those words hung heavy in the courtroom. CASA Advocate Brenda stood tall; her voice steady but her heart aching. “My recommendation at this time is termination,” she said. Words no one ever wants to say, and no parent ever wants to hear.
Across the room, the young boys’ mother lowered her eyes. The father gripped the edge of the bench. It was a moment of reckoning…a painful wake-up call.
But sometimes, rock bottom is where the real work begins.
In the months that followed, something remarkable happened. Those two parents, once lost in addiction and instability, began to fight for their family. They got clean. They found jobs. They secured a safe place to live. And through it all, Brenda didn’t just observe their progress. She walked alongside them.
She offered guidance, encouragement, and unwavering support – not just for the boys, but for the parents too. She saw the spark of change and nurtured it. She believed in their potential, even when they didn’t fully believe in themselves.
The foster parents, who had lovingly cared for the boys, could have stepped back. Instead, they leaned in. They became cheerleaders, mentors, and eventually, extended family to the children’s biological parents. They opened their hearts not just to the boys, but to the possibility of healing.
In the end, the unimaginable happened: the family was reunited.
The boys went home.
And today, they live surrounded by love – supported not just by their parents, but by the foster family who still plays a role in their lives. Two families, one support system. One journey made possible because Brenda – and CASA – were there at every step.
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