Odd One Out

As anyone who has been through high school can confirm, it is often popular kids whose personal struggles come as a surprise. No one expects the head cheerleader or class clown to be on the verge of a breakdown. 

So everyone was shocked when Eugene went missing. 

He was the captain of his junior league soccer team and well-loved by his family and friends. Eugene performed well in school and showed no signs of distress before disappearing. Unbeknownst to his support system, he was secretly deeply unhappy, and ultimately, this inner sadness drove him to run away from home. 

By the time BGR partners took Eugene in and helped him acclimate to a children’s shelter, he had already been living on the streets for a month and was unresponsive to questions about his past life. However, your generosity made it possible to for this shelter to care for Eugene well, ensuring he had medical attention, schooling, clothes, and food during his stay. 

Eugene’s use of a pseudonym made it difficult for his family to track him down, but eventually, his mother arrived – overwhelmed with gratitude that her son was healthy and had been taken care of during his absence. After so many days spent merely surviving, Eugene was thrilled to be reunited with his mom so unexpectedly. The shelter’s social work team helped with his transition home and re-acclimation to school, as well as made home visits to ensure Eugene’s long-term safety and health.

Today, Eugene is on better terms with his family and is preparing for upcoming final exams at school, which he has been doing well in. Your support of projects like the children’s shelter help other kids like Eugene find their families and experience happy, healthy lives!