From train station to safe haven, a mother’s journey to hope
The dedicated team at Maryville’s St. Monica Homes, pictured with Recovery Home Operator Jim Eaglin (Back row, fourth from the right), recently came together to support a young mother and her newborn in urgent need. Their swift action and compassionate care helped ensure both mother and baby found safety, stability and hope.
Maryville was contacted by a women’s health organization recently asking if we could evaluate a young woman who was 8 ½ months pregnant. Before our team could complete the assessment, she went into labor and delivered a baby boy by cesarean section.
After her discharge from the hospital, she faced an unimaginable situation. The agency where she had been staying would no longer accept her and her newborn. With no stable place to go, she began moving between her mother’s home and the CTA train system, holding a one-week-old baby in her arms.
Maryville’s Recovery Home Operator Jim Eaglin said that it was during this time, amid exhaustion and uncertainty, that Maryville Clinical Director Sarah Melgarejo met with her and conducted the assessment.
Our team immediately advocated for her admission, according to Eaglin, through our state partners. Thanks to their support and quick action, we were able to admit both mother and child to our St. Monica Homes before the baby’s second week of life. They are now safe, warm and receiving the compassionate care they deserve.
“This admission is more than a placement,” Eaglin said. “It is a powerful reminder of why we are here. It speaks to the resilience of our clients, the dedication of our staff and the life-changing impact of responding with urgency and heart.”
We are deeply proud of everyone who made this possible and grateful to witness the beginning of a brighter chapter for this mother and her child.
