Together Again: Teens Living in Poverty - An American Tragedy

By Leon Swarts

This is the second book that Dr. Swarts has written about poverty in America. His first book, Follow Me: My Story About Poverty in America, 1960-2021, traces the history of poverty from the John Kennedy administration (1960) to the Joe Biden administration (2000). The purpose of Follow Me is to stress that d

• Language: English
• Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
• Release date: Jun 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798822918405

Leon Swarts

Dr. Swarts retired as an educator in 2010. During his thirty-eight-year tenure, he served as an English teacher, teacher for the deaf, speech and hearing teacher, special education supervisor, principal of a special education and vocational-technical center, regional director of alternative education programs, university assistant clinical professor, Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) dropout prevention consultant and program data analyst for Kentucky Educational Collaborative for State Agency Children (KECSAC), Eastern Kentucky UniversityPublications●Alternative Education Accountability - 2002 ●Alternative Education: A Guide to School/Program Improvement - 2005

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Together Again

Copyright © 2023 by Leon Swarts, Ed.D

All rights reserved

No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted

in any form by any means–electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or other–

except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without prior permission of the author.

First Edition

Paperback ISBN:979-8-8229-1839-9

eBook ISBN:979-8-8229-1840-5

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEDICATION/ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

INTRODUCTION

PART I

CHAPTER ONE: THE DREAM

CHAPTER TWO: THE PLAN

CHAPTER THREE: SECRETS REVEALED

CHAPTER FOUR: THE UNKNOWN

CHAPTER FIVE: THE ORPHANAGE

CHAPTER SIX: UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

CHAPTER SEVEN: UNCLAIMED BODIES

CHAPTER EIGHT: UNFINISHED BUSINESS

PART II

CHAPTER NINE: CEMETERY SEARCH

CHAPTER TEN: A LONG WAY TO GO

CHAPTER ELEVEN: CULTURAL INFLUENCES

CHAPTER TWELVE: ALONG WAY TO GO

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: SEARCH RECAP

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: AN UNEXPECTED TRAGEDY

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: JARED JR.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: DR. DEARING (SESSION ONE)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: SEARCH PLAN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: DR. DEARING (SESSION TWO)

PART III

CHAPTER TWENTY: THE SEARCH BEGINS

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: THE SEARCH WIDENS

PART IV

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO: FOUNDATION PROPOSAL

EPILOGUE

DEDICATION/ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This story is dedicated to the thousands of teens and young adults who live in poverty. This unfortunate and sometimes unavoidable situation often leads to drug addiction, alcoholism, prostitution, homelessness, and suicide.

This book acknowledges the professionals, mentors, and volunteers who have dedicated their lives to helping situational and generational poverty teens and young adults overcome their adversities.

INTRODUCTION

April 15, 2023

Thank you for choosing to read my book. The story takes place in Buffalo, NY between 1975 and 2001. The story and characters are fictional.

The purpose of this book is to describe the adversities that teens and young adults encounter when their lives are affected by poverty. Gravitation toward alcoholism, drug addiction, homelessness, prostitution, and suicide are often the end result.

To combat the struggles and hardships encountered by teens and young adults, a multitude of support programs and resources are needed. To be effective, a targeted and comprehensive national system is needed.

Despite the billions of dollars spent each year by Federal, state, and local governments, the number and percentage of teens and young adults who live in poverty continues to accelerate rapidly. A myriad of mental health and safety-net programs has yet to reduce a significant by product…homelessness.

In 1987, Congress enacted the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act that provided federal money for homeless shelter programs. The funding is authorized by the Department of Urban Development (HUD).

To qualify for assistance, a homeless person must meet the federal definition. Individuals who lack regular, adequate nighttime residence…must live in a shelter or on the streets. This restricted definition offers no exceptions for children and young adults.

The narrowness of the definition often forces youth to sleep in cars, shelters, and on the streets before housing assistance is provided. This housing instability results in homeless individuals sleeping in tents, relative’s basements, hotels/motels, and couch-surfing.

To help children who are not defined as homeless according to the federal definition, some states have begun to identify homeless children in schools. In 2020-21, public schools had identified 1.1 million kids as homeless. More than 85% did not qualify for public assistance. Source: The Hechinger Report, 2023

Legislative attempts have been made to redefine the federal definition of homelessness without success. It has become apparent that individual states and cities must take the lead to provide funding and approved housing.

‘Youth experiencing poverty are a rapidly growing part of the homeless population who often are challenged by personal trauma or sexual orientation.’

‘Approximately thirty percent of people experiencing homelessness are younger than twenty-four. Children who experience the trauma of homelessness, even short term, have significantly higher rates of emotional, behavioral, and immediate long-term health problems. They often struggle with self-esteem, which puts them at risk of substance abuse, suicide, and other negative outcomes.’

‘Risk factors for homelessness include mental and substance use disorders and the lack of employment opportunities. One in ten young adults (ages 18-25), and at least thirty adolescents (ages 13-17), experience some form of homelessness unaccompanied by a parent or guardian over the course of a year. Unaccompanied youth can find it difficult to find a place to live and someone willing to rent them a room. Parenting teens experiencing homelessness face their own unique challenges.’

‘Furthermore, youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, or queer or questioning (LGBTQ) disproportionately experience homelessness. They are at substantial risk for family rejection, physical assaults, and sexual exploitation in shelters and on the streets, trauma, and mental and substance abuse disorders. Providing safe, supportive, and welcoming environments for LGBTQ youth is essential for reaching this vulnerable population.’ Source: www.samhsa.gov/homelessness-programs-resouces/hpr-resources/youth 3/21/23

The two reports discussed amplify the need for government to legislate more defined and targeted support for homeless youth. Until changes are made this population will continue to growth expeditiously.

PART I

PURPOSE

AND PLAN

CHAPTER ONE

THE DREAM

Wednesday, September 12, 2001 (first dream occurs)

Huge rolling black clouds engulfed the cemetery plot as a heavy rain poured down on the unburied casket. The wind blew fiercely, and puddles blanketed the flooded ground.

I stood next to Janet, my wife, while she held our son Jared Jr. tightly in her arms.

We stood in front of the burial plot and listened to the comforting words of a tall, thin, unknown person… dust to dust ashes to ashes. I pictured my twin brother lying in his casket. Jack’s casket was lowered into the ground. I thought about his life. Was it lonely and devoid of love?

Thursday, September 28 (sixteen days later)

I woke up with a start, covered in sweat, and realized that I’d had another funeral dream about my brother. I looked at the nightstand clock. It read 1:00 a.m. I had gone to bed thinking about the September 11th terrorist attack. My life-like dreams had reoccurred frequently since then.

Millions of Americans had been traumatized because of the attack. Fear of another incident stretched across the country from state to state and city to city. Two weeks had passed since the tragedy. It continued to be the focal point of newspapers, TV broadcasts, family discussions, and Americans in all levels of society. Not a single person could hide or escape from its reality. I was one of those countless patriots.

The traumatic American tragedy was felt personally and impersonally. Distressed journalists emphasized that family and friends of those who died or had been injured were most affected.

Overwhelmed, first responders were faced with thousands of dead bodies and injured adults. They tried relentlessly to untangle the crushed bodies and offer medical assistance. Often their courageous efforts were futile.

Thousands perished.

I remember going to bed that night feeling despondent. I laid in bed thinking about the shocking attack. The TV reports and pictures kept playing over and over in my mind.

Ironically, I had my first dream about my brother’s funeral during the early morning after the attack. I searched for a connection between 9/11 and my dream.

As weeks past, terms like terrorist attack, American tragedy, or suicide terrorists were no longer used by the media. The September 11, 2001, attack became known as 9/11. This became the most common term used by most Americans to describe the tragic event.

After 9/11 and my first dream, I realized that I hadn’t thought about Jack or my orphanage home since 1980. I began to question. Did 9/11 resurrect a forgotten tragedy? Could it be the reason I was having the dream twenty-one years later?

I searched for a commonality between 9/11 and my dream. I wondered if the month we were born, September 15, 1975, might be connected to the attack.

Trying to figure out why I was having the dream had become an obsession. I thought about the disturbing dream constantly and struggled to produce reasons for it. I had reached the point where I had trouble sleeping. I often laid in bed in a twilight state unable to go back to sleep. I became irritable and started drinking excessively.

Janet was concerned and suggested we visit my parents to see if they could explain why I was suddenly having the dream. They might be able to help, she said. Good idea, I responded. Janet walked toward the living room door. She turned suddenly and said, I’ll be ready in fifteen minutes.

I questioned whether my parents would have an answer. Janet had always been very perceptive and would frequently offer suggestions that were helpful. She might be on target.

While I waited, I turned the TV on to check the national news. I was interested in finding out more about 9/11. TV anchors continued to report the tragedy as a headliner.

I blanked out the reporter’s words and thought about the connection between the attack and my first dream. I tried to connect the dots but had no success.

I erased the thought from my mind and turned back to the TV. The reporter was still visibly shaken by 9/11. He gave an update on the government’s involvement and explained the details of the search and rescue mission. He reported that all levels of government had tightened security and had become more vigilant in their efforts to prevent future attacks.

The reporter described the first responder’s progress. He said that hundreds of decomposing bodies hadn’t been recovered, and authorities vowed to continue their efforts until all remains were found. He concluded by saying that 9/11 had left an unforgettable and indelible mark on every American.

The TV reports influenced my relentless pursuit to find a connection between 9/11 and my first dream. The coincidence led to an identifying an internet article about memory loss.

I read that a traumatic event could influence a response to a personal tragedy. The attack was traumatic for me, and my separation from Jack was a tragedy that I might have unconsciously forgotten.

I finished reading the article and thought more about the coincidence between the date of the attack and my first dream. It was hard for me to accept that a recent traumatic event could be related to a previous tragedy. The more I thought about the connection between the attack and my dream the more I searched for an answer.

I was confused, couldn’t understand, or accept the connection. I searched for answers. Had I suppressed the memory of my brother all these years? Could the attack have jogged my memory? Had I forgotten the trauma of my separation from my brother?

I finally concluded that the only connection between the attack and my dream was the month they occurred.

Janet entered the living room and asked if I had called my parents. I had completely forgotten about Janet’s recommendation. My questions about 9/11 and the dream had distracted me.

I called my mother. She answered the phone after two rings. I told her about the dream I was having about Jack. I explained that I couldn’t figure out why the dream was occurring twenty one years later. I asked if Janet and I could visit to see if she could remember something that connected 9/11 and my dream. Janet had stayed home from work to take care of Jared. His stubborn cold seemed to have gotten worse.

I drove to my parent’s home in Orchard Park, an affluent suburban town south of Buffalo. I rang the doorbell, and my mother opened the door immediately. My father was sitting in the living room. We joined him.

My mother looked at me and said, I might know the reason you are dreaming about Jack. You may not remember, but your father and I brought you home from the orphanage on Tuesday, September 11, 1980. It was the first time you and Jack were ever separated.

My parents had told me about my adoption when I was in my teens. I was five years old when Jack and I were separated. They told me the exact month, day, and year, but I didn’t recall the date until my mother’s explanation. Was the date I left the orphanage the connection between the attack and my dream?

I began to accept the connection among three occurrences…my separation from Jack 9/11/1980, the terrorist attack 9/11/2001, and my first dream 9/12/2001. Despite the connection, I assumed the September date was coincidental.

The information my mother revealed ignited a spark. I realized my last memory of Jack was the day we separated. The separation was difficult for both of us. He cried and screamed my name as the attendant escorted me out of our bedroom. I never knew what happened to Jack after our separation. Since the dream, I started questioning. What happened after I abandoned him? Was he adopted? Was he alive?

I thought that I might be having the dream because of the traumatic separation. The terrorist attack was the catalyst.

I erased the thought from my mind and viewed my mother trying to engage Jared in play. She was unsuccessful. Janet and I looked at each other and got up to leave. We thanked my mother and father for suggesting a reason for my dream. We said our goodbyes and left.

I stopped thinking about the dream as we drove home. During the drive, Janet and I glanced at each other occasionally but were mostly silent. We turned toward the back seat frequently to check on Jared Jr, who rested safely in his car seat.

When we reached our house, I helped Janet with Jared’s car seat, and we walked toward the front door. I placed the key into the doorknob and pushed the door toward the wall to ensure that there was enough room for Janet and Jared’s car seat. Janet placed the car seat on a chair, removed Jared, and walked down the hallway leading to the second floor bedrooms.

I walked slowly toward the living room couch, sat down, and covered my eyes. Tears flowed freely down my cheeks. As I meditated, my mind slipped into stillness.

I opened my eyes a few minutes later. My thoughts turned to Jack. I knew that because we were twins, our DNA was identical, but our life experiences were significantly different. We were twenty-six-years old but shared no personal history. I wanted to know exactly what happened to Jack after we were separated.

Janet entered the room and saw me wipe the tears away from my eyes with my shirt sleeve. She sat down next to me and tried to soothe my feelings and hidden thoughts. She handed me a tissue. I wiped my eyes and blew my nose. How do you feel? she asked. I am not at my best, I replied. Why don’t you rest for a while, and I will make supper, she suggested. Thanks, I said.

I took my shoes off and Janet covered me with the couch blanket. I dozed off and was awakened with the sound of Jared’s piercing cries. I sat up, put my shoes on, and climbed the stairs to my son’s bedroom. His sobbing had transitioned to screaming. I picked him up and tried to comfort him. I wasn’t successful. Janet took over.

I walked downstairs, entered the living room, and sat down on a chair near the front window. Pictures of Janet, Jared, and me were displayed on an end table. My parents’ picture was there too. I thought about them and felt grateful for their love.

I reminded myself how special Janet was to me. I began reminiscing about the five years we had been together. We didn’t tell each other often enough how much we loved one another. It was understood.

We had a short courtship before we were married. Our life plans were similar. We were career oriented and desired a large family.

While in college, we worked fervently to complete our degrees. Janet became a special education teacher, and I became an architect. We had a strong marriage and supported each other since the day we met.

During her senior year, Janet completed her student teaching internship with special needs children and was excited about her future career. After graduating, she was offered a job at the West Seneca Developmental Center (WSDC). She loved her work with disabled children and planned on teaching for many years.

I had taken a job with a well-known Buffalo architect firm and established myself as a highly regarded draftsman.

After working a year, Janet and I decided to get married. Our parents were incredibly supportive and helped plan and hold a beautiful wedding. We often joked that we were on a fast track for school, work, marriage, and a family. Within a year, we bought a 50s Cape Cod house in West Seneca. We were excited when she became pregnant, and Jared was born a year later.

My desire to have children was related to not knowing my birth parents and the early separation from my brother. Janet was an only child. She commented frequently that she wished she had a brother or sister.

Jared’s birth was normal and without complications. During his first two years, his receptive and expressive language development was normal. His pediatrician was pleased with his progress. Jared met all the important developmental milestones… motor skills, speech, and language. When he turned two, Janet and I noticed a change in his behavior. He became less responsive, verbalized infrequently, and often avoided eye contact.

We were concerned and looked for answers from his doctor and other medical professionals. A battery of tests was administered, and Jared was diagnosed as autistic. The doctors explained that autism might be a disruption in normal brain growth as a result of genetic or environmental influences. We struggled accepting their diagnosis.

Fortunately, Janet was familiar with autism. We enrolled him in a day treatment program for