Born to Serve: The Story Behind Legacy Mission

I believe I was born to live a life of service. One of my earliest memories is of Myrtle, the woman next door who fostered children. She wasn’t particularly warm or nurturing, and even as a little girl, I remember thinking, “I could do this differently. I could be kinder.”

Years later, after becoming a mother myself, that quiet childhood promise turned into action. The opportunity to foster came to me, and over time, nearly two dozen children passed through my door. Each one left an imprint on my heart and taught me something new about resilience, compassion, and what it means to show up for another human being.

My journey eventually led to adoption, and the day I heard the cry of my newborn daughter, born prenatally exposed to drugs, I knew my mission had expanded. As I had for every child before her, I became her fiercest advocate, determined to give her the love, stability, and opportunities she deserved.

Along the way, I deepened my impact beyond my own home, working with community agencies as a Parent Peer Supporter, Family Visitation Facilitator, and Family Advocate. I even launched The Village Work & Play Space, a haven where families could connect, parents could co-work, and children could play safely with caring support.

Then, everything changed again. My daughter lost her birth father to an overdose. I walked beside her through the grief, trauma, and impossible questions that followed, and in doing so, I saw the devastating ripple effects of the drug crisis more clearly than ever before.

That loss didn’t break me. It clarified my purpose.

It was from that purpose that Legacy Mission was born — a movement dedicated to honoring lives lost to the drug crisis and supporting the families and communities left behind. Legacy Mission is more than a project. It’s a promise: a compassionate platform where stories are shared, memories are preserved, and voices rise together to inspire healing and change.

Through remembrance, advocacy, and connection, we transform grief into legacy, ensuring that those we’ve lost continue to shape a better future. Because love doesn’t end when a life does. And with every story we tell, we build a world where that love becomes a force for change.