Mary’s Medical Emergency Was a Blessing in Disguise

Meet Mary 

Mary grew up in Southern California. She had a good upbringing and a supportive family. After high school she moved to Northern California to attend college at Berkley. After she graduated from Berkley, she worked in the bio tech and pharmaceutical industry for many years.

Mary’s Journey

Mary was laid off from her job and struggled to find work. She depleted what savings she had and eventually ended up homeless. She was weak, tired, and malnourished. While seeking rest on a bus bench, she had a seizure. She couldn’t recall who stopped to offer help. She just remembers waking up in the hospital. The hospital staff provided Mary with excellent care and referred her to Harbor Care to complete her recovery.

Life on the streets had taken its toll on Mary. She was suffering from exhaustion and was malnourished. She would scrounge for food, and it was often lacking nutritional value. 

How Harbor Helped Mary

Mary was rapidly regaining her strength at Harbor Care. It is amazing what three healthy meals a day can do to improve one’s health. “I was only eating one meal a day. To come here and get fresh fruit and vegetables was nice. Getting homemade food instead of prepackaged food was an improvement,” says Mary. The doctors told Mary that her diet was a contributor to her health issues. 

Our case managers were able to help Mary get her SSI benefits and found housing for her to move into after her stay at Harbor Care. Mary had never stayed at a shelter or had access to case management services before coming to Harbor Care. Mary had no idea that her seizure would set her on a path to health and housing.