“I know that this is a safe place for me. This place really helped. It is a good place to be.”

I was out and about and I met this guy. He was doing meth and he got me doing it. After that he was not sleeping for four or five days. He started going a little crazy and he ended up beating me and dragging me behind the Fry’s building. He beat my face pretty bad. That same day I was praying to God to let me live. I would change my life. The ‘copters were flying above us and the cops were surrounding us. I guess the guy I was with had a warrant out for his arrest. 

My life was scary because I was in and out of dope houses with six or seven other people. My ID, my cell phone, and everything I owned that I had on me, got stolen. I had nothing. Sometimes I was sleeping in abandoned hotels. I would have to break into abandoned hotels to sleep in them and it was terrifying because you have to sleep with one eye open. You never know what’s going to happen to you. It’s not a good feeling. I’ve seen a lot of girls out there; they were all doing the same thing I was doing. My step mom and my grandma came and found me sitting outside at a Burger King all tore up. I was looking so bad. They said “We know a safe place for you and it is called the Phoenix Dream Center”. I eventually ended up coming here. 

I love the staff here. I love Konstance, Sandra, Shayla; every single one of them. They’re awesome. They’re just so sweet. Everybody has open arms. If you have trouble you can tun to them and they will help you. All the girls here are just wonderful. They’re so kind-hearted. I love every single one of them. 

We had this dentist come to the Dream Center. His name was Dr. Khan, and he wanted to help everybody. He asked me if I wanted to train with him. I said, “Yeah, I’ll do it”. I was nervous at first. I wasn’t sure I wanted to try it, but I went in and started taking x-rays of people’s teeth. During our lunch break he said” If you really want to do this job, I’ll hire you” and I said “Yeah, I really want to do it”. He said “Okay, you’re hired”. I was so happy and now it’s just stuck with me. I really want to do this. I really want to help people who have teeth that are so bad they really want help. 

My family is so proud of me. They’re happy to come to see me. They’re always saying I am doing so well; I love being around you; I love seeing how happy you are. Before I was miserable. I was not myself. Here I can I can actually be myself and I feel more comfortable. I should be on the third pillar next month (Ed. note: each pillar is a level of progress in the program). I’m going to start my dentist job and start helping people. Eventually while I’m doing dentist work, I want to counsel girls and help girls who are in a bad lifestyle. I know that this is a safe place for me. This place really helped. It is a good place to be.