I have had this case manager that I grew really close to. I started seeing him over a year ago and he has helped me with a lot of things.

He helped fight for me when I couldn't even fight for myself. He believed in me when I gave up hope.

He helped me receive the grant that I've been on which has been helping me with my housing. He advocated for me to his superiors to get me things that I need. If it wasn't for him, I would be homeless.

Now, he decided to take a job at a homeless shelter to help other youths who have been through what I have. He has been known to be a strong advocate for youths who have been struggling with mental health issues, unstable living situations, or drug and alcohol abuse. In fact, he is also an artist and even designed some of the artwork at one of the youth shelters in my area.

So because of this, he will no longer be my case manager and I will no longer see him again. Hearing this news has been harder for me than I thought. He has become more than a case manager to me; he has become my friend. He has not only gone out of his way to help me, but it's because of his help that I'm in such a good position in my life right now.

For the first time, I am thriving. I am doing very well in school and I am interacting with hiring managers like it's nothing. For the first time, something that I've struggled with for so long which was finding a stable income seems not only doable, but something that I can pull off with minimal effort. For the first time, I am confident in myself. It's because of this guys help that I am doing so well and I'm grateful.

It still doesn't make it any less painful for me. I saw him for the last time today. He helped me get some new nice shoes as a final favor since I needed some new shoes since mine were falling apart. Afterwards, he treated me to Starbucks and told me how proud he is of me and how grateful he was to have met me. He told me how I've come so far since we met and how he used to get so frustrated with me because I used to fight with him to hell and back when he tried to help me. He said that he learned a lot working with me and he even said that he didn't think I would have come this far. Finally, before he left, he told me that he loved me and that he knows that I will do great things with my life and gave me a hug right before he walked out the door. Since then, I can't lie, I have been fighting with myself to hold back tears. Such a thing has been so emotional for me.

I will make it a goal to one day get to the point to where I no longer need services with the mental health center that I have been receiving services from so that I can seek him out as a friend and show him how far I have become. Until then, I will miss him. Losing a friend who has had such a positive impact on my life is never easy.

Cheers for the future!