Time doesn’t stop when a resident leaves Third Way Center. Sometimes the most powerful lessons come after one reflects on where they have been when they leave us. This was Michael’s greatest lesson. Growing up, Michael’s family didn’t have a lot. His mom gave birth to him when she was just 15 years old. At a young age, Michael was taught how to steal to get
“I vow to take care of you to the best of my ability. That doesn’t change because life gets difficult.” These are the powerful words of strength and courage of Diane and Russ Kyncl, mother and father of Matt Kyncl, a former resident of Third Way Center. Matthew, Russ and Diane’s middle child, was a happy baby with a will of steel. As a child, he
On August 29th, 1969 a 14-year-old girl gave birth to a premature baby boy. In the beginning, this young woman was able to care for her baby with the help of her mother. However, within the first three years of her baby’s life her mother passed away, leaving her to fend for her own life as well as the life of her son, Mark. Mark’s mother
Now a student at MSU Denver, Austen reflects back on her journey and where she is today. “I knew that I didn’t want to be this stuck, broken person for forever”
“I will never regain my lost childhood and nothing will make up for those painful early years of my life, but every day I’m living to my potential, working to make our community a better place, and helping to give the teens at Third Way Center a chance to follow in my footsteps.” -Brendan Audience members who attended True Grit in 2014 were blown away by the remarkable story
Yasmine was good at hiding in plain sight. Thirteen-years of living with a drug addicted mother will do that to just about anybody. Over time her grades began to slip, and she slowly stopped walking home with her friends. Third Way Center helped set her on a different route. Every day in the spring of 1997, Yasmine accompanied three classmates as they walked home after school.
Will believes that much of his current success is due to the Third Way Center staff who didn’t give up on him, no matter what happened or how many times he “screwed up.” He believes that the skills he acquired at Third Way Center have truly enabled him to become a successful and productive member of society. Will’s Journey: At age 12, Will began treatment because
Sean has been waiting his whole life to fit. At 6’9” it’s hard for Sean to fit into clothing, a bed, or fit his knees under a desk. He was removed from his home at age 5 and has had to learn to fit in at a different home or treatment center nearly every year since. Now, at age 20, living in a Third Way Center
Meet Michele, a successful adult, running the kitchen at 2 Succeed, a program of MHCD (Mental Health Centers of Denver). But in the late 70’s, during her teenage years, Michele was a run away, living on the streets or at interim placements until she found herself in juvenile hall and eventually was placed with Third Way Center. Michele’s Journey: Michele was one of 16 youth living
Meet Robert, he’s a twenty-one year old fine arts major at Metro State, who also works full-time at his on-campus job in the supervisory role of Parking Coordinator. Not long ago he was a resident at Third Way Center. As a teen, Robert was having legal and family issues and was living with several different family members. Finally, at the age of 17 he was placed
Aaron is a former Third Way Center resident who came from a broken home and a community struggling with gang violence. He’s now a successful grant writer, coach, and family man. Aaron’s Journey: Aaron came to Third Way Center in the summer of 1986. His 13-year old biological mother had lost custody of him, and he was placed with a foster parent struggling with alcohol addiction.
Yasmine was good at hiding in plain sight. Thirteen-years of living with a drug addicted mother will do that to just about anybody. Over time her grades began to slip, and she slowly stopped walking home with her friends. Third Way Center helped set her on a different route. Every day in the spring of 1997, Yasmine accompanied three classmates as they walked home after school.
