Roy Juarez Jr.

And every time he would find us, we would have to take the sheets off our bed, put them on the floor, put our clothes in the middle, and we were gone every single time he found us. And around 14 years old is when I finally became homeless on my own. My mom had met a man who was helping her, and he said, I'll help you come live with me. But the only catch was that he didn't want kids.

And every time he would find us, we would have to take the sheets off our bed, put them on the floor, put our clothes in the middle, and we were gone every single time he found us. And around 14 years old is when I finally became homeless on my own. My mom had met a man who was helping her, and he said, I'll help you come live with me. But the only catch was that he didn't want kids.

And for the longest time, Mick, I thought that she just left us because she didn't want us. Well, fast forward many years later after I'm an activist crossing the country, working all over the nation, I invite my mom to come with me to upstate New York. And she's with me. We're in the juvenile hall in upstate New York. And I speak, I tell our story.

And for the longest time, Mick, I thought that she just left us because she didn't want us. Well, fast forward many years later after I'm an activist crossing the country, working all over the nation, I invite my mom to come with me to upstate New York. And she's with me. We're in the juvenile hall in upstate New York. And I speak, I tell our story.

And for the longest time, Mick, I thought that she just left us because she didn't want us. Well, fast forward many years later after I'm an activist crossing the country, working all over the nation, I invite my mom to come with me to upstate New York. And she's with me. We're in the juvenile hall in upstate New York. And I speak, I tell our story.

And afterwards, we're all talking, me, the students, the probation officers. And one woman is talking to my mom behind me. And I can hear her talking. And I'm talking to a young girl, but I want to hear what's happening to my mom, make sure she's safe. And the lady said, how could you leave them? Why would you do that? And I listened in.

And afterwards, we're all talking, me, the students, the probation officers. And one woman is talking to my mom behind me. And I can hear her talking. And I'm talking to a young girl, but I want to hear what's happening to my mom, make sure she's safe. And the lady said, how could you leave them? Why would you do that? And I listened in.

And afterwards, we're all talking, me, the students, the probation officers. And one woman is talking to my mom behind me. And I can hear her talking. And I'm talking to a young girl, but I want to hear what's happening to my mom, make sure she's safe. And the lady said, how could you leave them? Why would you do that? And I listened in.

And she said something that kind of shifted everything in my perspective. She told that lady, you don't get it. You don't get it. He wanted me dead. If he would have found us, he might have killed all of us. If he would just find me, he's only going to kill me. So in her brokenness, her thought was, Getting rid of us was technically saving us.

And she said something that kind of shifted everything in my perspective. She told that lady, you don't get it. You don't get it. He wanted me dead. If he would have found us, he might have killed all of us. If he would just find me, he's only going to kill me. So in her brokenness, her thought was, Getting rid of us was technically saving us.

And she said something that kind of shifted everything in my perspective. She told that lady, you don't get it. You don't get it. He wanted me dead. If he would have found us, he might have killed all of us. If he would just find me, he's only going to kill me. So in her brokenness, her thought was, Getting rid of us was technically saving us.

And that has changed everything. You know, parents are human. They make mistakes. They're growing up just as they have the same pains and fears and anxiety that even I have to this day. I personally don't have children. I can't even imagine what my mom was going through knowing that her high school sweetheart wanted her dead, and now she's having to care for five kids and can't do it.

And that has changed everything. You know, parents are human. They make mistakes. They're growing up just as they have the same pains and fears and anxiety that even I have to this day. I personally don't have children. I can't even imagine what my mom was going through knowing that her high school sweetheart wanted her dead, and now she's having to care for five kids and can't do it.

And that has changed everything. You know, parents are human. They make mistakes. They're growing up just as they have the same pains and fears and anxiety that even I have to this day. I personally don't have children. I can't even imagine what my mom was going through knowing that her high school sweetheart wanted her dead, and now she's having to care for five kids and can't do it.

And then he gets her fired from her job. She now can't do it financially. Like, my mom is a strong woman. She was just broken, and she made mistakes.

And then he gets her fired from her job. She now can't do it financially. Like, my mom is a strong woman. She was just broken, and she made mistakes.

And then he gets her fired from her job. She now can't do it financially. Like, my mom is a strong woman. She was just broken, and she made mistakes.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.