By Carol Priour

Patty was the youngest of seven children. Her parents’ deeply troubled marriage and her mother’s unpredictable absences took a serious toll on her young life. As Patty grew into adolescence, the circumstances at home went from very difficult to completely unmanageable. Doing what she thought she had to do to survive, Patty became a runaway . . . which led to becoming a ward of the state . . .which eventually led her to Hill Country Youth Ranch in 1983. Although sometimes challenging, she was bright, energetic, and very likable.  She quickly became a leader.

I met Patty 15 years ago after she had graduated from the Ranch and I was working as a houseparent. She came to visit her former cabinmates who were my charges. I remember a striking radiance in her deep brown eyes. She was thoughtful and polite as well as grateful for the fresh start she had been given by the Ranch.

But what I remember most about Patty was her courage. She stood alone in front of our evening group meeting, and bared her soul to her peers in a way that was both empowering and empathetic. She spoke openly, and without shame, of the abuse that she had suffered in her childhood home. She told of the days living on the street, where hunger led her sometimes to dumpsters for nourishment. She presented her own life; mistakes and accomplishments, as an example for any learning that she might stimulate. The children listened intently.

Once a chronic runaway, Patty is not running now. On a recent visit here with her fiancée and a friend, she told of her spiritual journey, her job as a paralegal in San Antonio . . . and, she thanked us once again. "Thank you, Patti". What a blessing it is to watch this life unfold!