“Gamon” found out she was pregnant when she was on her way to earning an Advanced High School Diploma. She wanted to both graduate from high school and keep her baby. Her parents, however, were so ashamed of what had happened that they planned to force her onto a plane to Thailand. In Thailand she was to give birth and then return to the United States, leaving her baby behind.
Just 18 years old, Gamon fled her parents’ house and came into the Assisting Young Mothers program. In our program, she achieved her Advanced High School Diploma and her baby was born. While she was in the program, Alternative House, now known as Second Story, provided counseling not just to her, but also to her entire family. After several months, the family welcomed Gamon back home. Today she is working in IT and is studying architecture and graphic design applications. Her baby is healthy and her family is reunited.