We met Lea on a crisp, fall morning in a beautiful wooded park. Lea was sitting under a pavilion, with her few possessions strewn over a table, and using a small mirror to do her makeup and straighten her hair. Lea apologized when we first walked up to her and explained that she was having a very bad day. We asked her if we could visit with her for a while and told her about Cassie and how she had always been a light in the lives of everyone who knew her. We gave her a Cassie Kit and explained that we wanted to honor Cassie's memory by reaching out to others and brightening their day. Lea was very touched by the story and tears came to her eyes as she thanked us. She told us that she had just broken up with her fiance, was kicked out of her apartment, and didn't have anywhere to go. She had been feeling very alone and was grateful that we stopped to talk.
The first thing that I noticed about Lea was her quick smile and outgoing personality. She makes new friends easily and her favorite thing to do is to meet random people and to take pictures with them. Lea is known for her cheerful optimism by everyone who knows her. She told us her friends would be very surprised to see her that morning, alone and sad and discouraged. But, true to her nature, she quickly brightened and told us that she wasn't going to stay like this for long. Lea said that she knows that she is in complete control of her future, and that no matter what life throws at her, she wants to make the best of it. She admits that recent choices and mistakes had brought her low, but she was determined to make changes and start her life on the right track.
Lea is the youngest of 9 children and said that she loved being the baby of the family. Her mother died when she was very young and left a huge hole in their family. Lea told us that although she loves her father and siblings, her family was never the same again without her mom. Lea loves playing softball and played at the Salt Lake Community College for a few years. She even had a scholarship to play at the University of Arizona, but turned down the opportunity because she didn't want to move far away from her family. She also loves longboarding and showed us the different scars she had collected from this hobby.
Lea says that the hardest thing about being homeless is keeping track of all of her stuff. She says that her things get stolen a lot, which is very frustrating to her. But with a smile, she told us that whenever it happens, she just hopes that whoever took her things needed them more than she did. "As long as they don't take my longboard," she says with a twinkle in her eye. "They can't have my longboard!"
I was very impressed by Lea's friendliness, compassion, and determination. Although life had not been easy for her, she is optimistic about the future and eager to bless others with her friendship and kindness. She gave me a hug as we said goodbye, and thanked me for brightening her day. But I felt that in reality, Lea had brightened my day. She taught me a lot through her cheerful example about seeing the good in life, even when it's hard. Lea told me as we left, "I wouldn't give up these hard times I'm going through, even if I could, because every trial is just a stepping stone to a better future!"
Lea is the youngest of 9 children and said that she loved being the baby of the family. Her mother died when she was very young and left a huge hole in their family. Lea told us that although she loves her father and siblings, her family was never the same again without her mom. Lea loves playing softball and played at the Salt Lake Community College for a few years. She even had a scholarship to play at the University of Arizona, but turned down the opportunity because she didn't want to move far away from her family. She also loves longboarding and showed us the different scars she had collected from this hobby.
Lea says that the hardest thing about being homeless is keeping track of all of her stuff. She says that her things get stolen a lot, which is very frustrating to her. But with a smile, she told us that whenever it happens, she just hopes that whoever took her things needed them more than she did. "As long as they don't take my longboard," she says with a twinkle in her eye. "They can't have my longboard!"
I was very impressed by Lea's friendliness, compassion, and determination. Although life had not been easy for her, she is optimistic about the future and eager to bless others with her friendship and kindness. She gave me a hug as we said goodbye, and thanked me for brightening her day. But I felt that in reality, Lea had brightened my day. She taught me a lot through her cheerful example about seeing the good in life, even when it's hard. Lea told me as we left, "I wouldn't give up these hard times I'm going through, even if I could, because every trial is just a stepping stone to a better future!"
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