Liam’s dad passed away last December after a long bout with cancer. At the age of 14, this military teen faced the death of his father and the subsequent deployment of his mother, an Army officer, in the span of just a few months. His burden seemed almost too much to bear for even the strongest adult I know, let alone a teenager.
But, while living with his grandparents during his mother’s deployment, Liam benefited from leaning on our Club Beyond team, the staff and volunteers of Young Life devoted to reaching military teens, and began to stabilize. His grades started to trend upward, and these days, he regularly meets with Chuck, one of our volunteer leaders, for check-ins, mentoring, and accountability.
As we acknowledge Veterans Day, we must stop and recognize the sacrifices the current 1.6 million military kids in our country are making and their significant role in our nation’s culture and history. Whereas their parents signed up to serve, these children, many of whom demonstrate amazing resilience and strength each day, did not.
For most, the presence of a consistent adult, like Chuck is to Liam, has been the key to keeping them…
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