Meet Gabe!

Teen Climbs his Personal Mountain, His Goal - Help Others Do the Same

Gabe, a recent high school graduate, enjoys running, playing video games, learning more about cars, and spending time with his family and friends. He is always willing to lend a helping hand and give back to his community. Mariah Dennard, Easterseals MORC Home-Based Clinical Supervisor, said that Gabe has been a huge help at the Walled Lake office.

“Gabe has spent his summers volunteering at our summer camp and various family fun nights when he was available,” Dennard said. "He’s always been a huge help to our office and frequently mentions being a certified youth support specialist when he grows up. Gabe has also been working closely with two of our team members to plan an upcoming family fun night for the kids we serve soon.”

When Gabe began his journey with Easterseals MORC, he started receiving home-based mental health services. Since then, he’s graduated from the Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) program and has successfully completed therapy with Community Outpatient Services (COP). Gabe still meets regularly with his certified youth peer support specialist, Jalen Mims, who helps him to navigate through life and further understand his mental health challenges as well as staying consistent with his medication.

“I’ve been working with Jalen and the team at Easterseals MORC for about four years,” Gabe said. “He has helped me to see the bigger picture and understand life better. I’ve gotten the right medication and learned healthy coping strategies which have helped me with school and overall.”

Gabe said that since the beginning of his time at Easterseals MORC the entire team at the Walled Lake office has been amazing and they’ve always made him feel safe and welcome.

“One of the people who has helped me the most on my journey would be Mariah,” Gabe said. “She always has a positive attitude and a smile on her face no matter how much she has on her plate. She plans everything, helps almost every kid that come for services, and she still gets everything done. She’s amazing!”

Expressing his gratitude for the services and support he has received, Gabe said that being an ambassador for Easterseals MORC feels like a sense of accomplishment.

“Easterseals MORC will make a difference in your life just like they have in mine,” Gabe said. “They will help you at your lowest, bring you back up, and keep supporting you every step of the way. I hope I can make a difference in other kids lives and help them climb that mountain like I did.”

While Gabe still wants to be a certified youth peer support specialist when he gets older, he also wants to explore his love for cars further and be a mechanic.