A Mother’s Story

“Aaron was the light of my life.” ~Lorie

My son, Aaron, had a heart bigger than the world itself. He was the kind of person who would give you his last dollar, the shirt off his back, or a warm hug when you needed it most. Even in his darkest struggles with addiction, his kindness never faded—he was the light of my life. 

As Mother’s Day approaches, I want to share Aaron’s story for every mother who knows the fear of watching a child battle addiction — or the pain of losing a child too soon. If you’re holding on to hope and praying for a miracle, my son’s journey before he was taken proves that freedom from addiction is possible. 

My son’s battle with substance use began in high school. 

What started as simple experimentation with friends slowly transitioned to addiction. Initially it was small things that you expect from a teen, like taking liquor from the mini bar on an over-seas trip. That would later turn into a full-fledged addiction, leading him to steal from me on multiple occasions. 

I saw the signs. I pleaded. I prayed. I fought for Aaron with everything I had. There were moments of hope, times when he tried to break free. But addiction’s grip was relentless. 

By the time he was in his twenties, Aaron had been arrested for drugs and put on probation. 

Through it all, I carried the weight of my son’s addiction and legal issues in silence. I never told my family. No one knew what he — and I — were going through. It was just me, trying to hold everything together. I felt alone. 

Aaron met and married his wife, during this period. It wasn’t until he had a surprise drug test as part of his probation that confirmed he was still using. He was sent to jail. His first son was born while he was incarcerated. Aaron carried the pain of missing his son’s birth with him. 

When Aaron was released that January, he tried to rebuild his life. For years he seemed to manage it. He and his wife had a second child and worked hard to keep the family together. But addiction eventually reared its ugly head again and Aaron began struggling more than ever. 

I had grown up watching Teen Challenge come to my church in Michigan. Our congregation sponsored them, bringing in their choir. I had seen Dave Wilkerson and Nicky Cruz speak. I knew Teen Challenge was a good program, but I never imagined my own child would need it. 

Like me, Aaron was raised in the church, but his addiction had taken him so far away. Yet, something in him still wanted to be there, and even in his addiction, Aaron came to church with me most Sunday mornings. 

A turning point came in November of 2018. Aaron made the decision to go to Pennsylvania Adult & Teen Challenge. I almost couldn’t believe it. I initially went into planning mode, wondering how we’d get him to the programs. When I talked to one of PAATC’s admission coordinators, she confirmed they would be able to drive down and get him. I felt a huge weight lifted from my shoulders. I wasn’t alone anymore and there were people who could help. 

Aaron went through the program, and for the first time in so long, I recognized my son again. Teen Challenge didn’t just help him fight his addiction, but they helped him rebuild his life. They guided him with love and truth and reminded him who he was. It was the moment I had prayed about for years. He went through the entire program, eventually becoming an intern and even working there for a short period of time. 

He came home in March of 2020, free from his addiction. And for the next year and a half, we lived. We traveled to Michigan and Kentucky. We spent time together in a way we hadn’t been able to for so long. My son was truly living again. He was working hard to restore his life and reconnect with his children. Everything was looking up, until that tragic day. 

On November 22, 2021, my son’s life was taken in a car crash – a tragedy I wish for no mother. 

My grief still overwhelms me. But through that grief I offer so much gratitude to Teen Challenge for letting me spend the few last years of Aaron’s life with him being whole, healed and back to his true self.

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Today, Lorie serves as a Board Member for Sara’s House of Hope, a ministry dedicated to supporting families impacted by a loved one’s substance use. She devotes her time to helping others face the same struggles and loss she experienced, sharing her and Aaron’s story to inspire hope.  She also enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, keeping the memory of their father alive.  

You Can Make A Way

Q: What would you say to the donors who help support Pennsylvania Adult & Teen Challenge? 

Shannon: I would say that I don’t think they really know the impact that they’re having on someone’s life when they are donating. They are helping to put us back together. PAATC is a place where we get closer to God and find healing. We wouldn’t have this opportunity if it wasn’t for them. I would say thank you and I would tell them that they are saving lives.

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The best way to make an impact in honor of Mothers Day is to help ensure no woman is turned away due to lack of insurance or funds.

Our Program Scholarship helps to accept women who otherwise can’t  afford treatment. In honor of women in your life, please give today to restore  he lives of women struggling with  substance abuse disorder.

From our CEO

As Mother’s Day approaches, I’m reminded of the deep love and unwavering hope that mothers have for their children—especially those battling addiction. Mothers like Lorie, whose story is featured in these pages. 

For years, Lorie watched her son Aaron battle addiction, even as he built a family of his own. Thanks to your support, Aaron found freedom here at Pennsylvania Adult & Teen Challenge (PAATC), and Lorie’s relationship with him was restored. 

Despite the tragedy that took Aaron’s life too soon, Lorie carries a deep sense of gratitude amidst her grief—because thanks to PAATC and supporters like you, she was given precious time with her son, fully present, healed, and whole again.

This Mother’s Day, I want to acknowledge the mothers who are still waiting for their own stories of restoration, who cry out in prayer for their children, and who long to see them set free. And I want to thank you—because through your generosity, you are giving mothers hope that their children can find new life.

This Mother’s Day, thank you for helping families like Lorie’s and Aaron’s find healing. Your support is changing lives.

Kris J. McFadden, Sr., M.A.R.
President/CEO