June 27, 2013
Dear Steve,
Susan and I wanted to write you to update you on what’s
happening with our son, and to thank you again for all you did for him on the
positive path he seems to be on.
H. graduated Cherokee Creek Boys School two weeks ago, a
full year since he first arrived at New Vision Wilderness and only nine months
since he went to South Carolina. In that time, he has grown so much both
physically and emotionally that it seems a miracle. We are so excited that he
has come home and that we have the opportunity to be a strong and loving family
again.
What New Vision and you, specifically, did for H. was
amazing. Not only did you arrest his bad behaviors but you opened his mind and
heart to a whole new future. Cherokee Creek made a point of telling us that
none of their students had ever come out of the wilderness in such a strong and
stable condition as our son did. He was open to his new therapist and made a
fairly easy transition to the new environment. Most importantly, he had become
self-aware and less impulse-driven.
The key to all this was the incredible work you did to break
through all the emotional barriers he had built around himself. You were able
to help him find awareness of what he was feeling and the vocabulary to
describe it clearly to others. He was able to talk to you as he had never
talked to anyone else; parents, friend or therapist. He is now not only someone
who can talk, but he is someone who wants to communicate.
At Cherokee Creek, he has become a mentor and leader.
Several times this year he has been asked to mentor new students. He has also
spent time rooming with student’s having real difficulties, helping to get them
on track again.
H. also worked very hard to put himself in a position where
coming home was first a possibility, and then a reality. While he still has
issues to work on; He has come a long way. He has found a passion working with
animals. He organized a volunteer program at a local animal shelter, which he
and several students go to on Saturdays. He also asked for and was able to
arrange an internship at a Veterinary Hospital around the corner from us for
the two weeks he is home, before going to summer camp.
Thank you again for doing so much to help set H. on the path
he is on. Our best wishes go to you and everyone at New Vision and good luck on
your new endeavors.
Forever in you debt,
