“I have the guidance, love, and support from Pan Am Place and countless others who bring the fighter out of me.”
Trevor
My name is Trevor, I am 26 years old and I am openly gay. I am a music lover, a coffee drinker, and an introvert. I enjoy spending my time with family and friends, playing the guitar, reading and writing, and living at Pan Am Place. I grew up in foster care and became a permanent ward at the age of six. My mother struggled with addictions and was unable to care for me and my siblings. I was neglected, and physically abused before the foster agency stepped in. I was a troubled youth growing up and was often bullied. I was lucky being placed in a home with loving foster parents but at the age of 17 I had to leave my foster home and started couch surfing until I became homeless.
After being homeless for two years I had no choice but to live in a household with drug addicts and alcoholics. Every night there was heavy alcohol and drug use which was often present. There was never any food in the fridge, the roof leaked, the walls were covered in black mold, and I slept on a wooden bed frame without a mattress. All the negativity in the household and my poor coping mechanism led to substance abuse, experimenting with drugs, depression, and thoughts and attempts of suicide. These conditions were a step down from the previous two years of couch surfing or spending the night on the street. It was during this period of my life that I heard about Pan Am Place.
I found out about Pan Am Place through a program I was participating in called Life Train. The workers at Life Train were a big help in getting me into Pan Am Place. Pan Am Place has provided me with a safe place to sleep, food and the means to make positive change. It has not been an easy road and I still have a long way to go but I have been sober for three years, living a much healthier lifestyle, and am learning to live with my depression. I am now in grade 12, have my beginner’s drivers license, and am growing fond of boxing. Pan Am has given me the support and guidance I’ve needed and I am slowly on my way to a better life.
My future goals include managing my diabetes (the PAP diet and workout routine is helping), learn to live with and better cope with my depression, lose weight and get in shape. Physical and mental health are very important to me. My biggest goal is completing my grade 12 (which I will finish in 2018) and I have hopes of going to Red River College. I know that I will have to work hard and fight as hard as I can to get to where I want to be. I am far from perfect and I know that’s okay, but I have the guidance, love, and support from Pan Am Place and countless others who bring the fighter out of me.
Trevor received his high school diploma in June of 2018. He will soon attend Red River College to study the Culinary Arts.