They offer help to teens at the end of the line

Why do runaways call strangers on a hot line or access the NRS's website (www.nrscrisisline.org) rather than contacting people they know?

"They're not always comfortable bringing their problems to someone in their lives," Ms. Blaha explains. "When they call, that's one of the things we explore with them: Who's in your life you might feel comfortable talking with? If not a family member, then maybe somebody in your church or school. Our goal is to link these kids up with local resources so they have somebody who is more consistent in their lives than calling the National Runaway Switchboard."

Fortunately for Ms. Lichtman, her son kept in touch with phone calls every couple of weeks, but more often than not, runaways don't check in.

Debbie Sugalski didn't hear from Laura until the Switchboard connected them. Calls to the NRS are confidential, but the Sugalskis agreed to share their story.

Laura says she ran away because of "a buildup of a lot of things" at home and school. She was into drugs, wasn't getting along with people at school, and was distressed because her parents, now divorced, often argued about her situation.

Things reached a head when Mrs. Sugalski noticed a number of unexplained debits on her ATM card. That's when she confronted Laura as they were en route to the 15-year-old's dance class. Laura, however, denied any wrongdoing.

"I was extremely angry and told her that if she wasn't going to admit it, then the police could figure it out," Sugalski recalls.

When she later learned that Laura had failed to show up for her class, she called the police and filed a missing person report. She also posted fliers around town.

Three days later she found a link to the National Runaway Switchboard on a missing-kids website. She called, was comforted by a volunteer, and, to her surprise, was told she could leave a message for Laura in case her daughter called in.

Laura's friends were contacted and given the Switchboard number. Eventually mother and daughter connected through a message-relaying service, which resulted in a three-way conference call arranged by a Switchboard counselor. In cases like this, both parties must be willing to provide a name and phone number.

The two had a brief, tearful reunion on the phone that led to Laura's return a short time later. Since they began attending counseling sessions, their relationship has improved.

"Things are still settling down, we're still getting to be mother and daughter," Laura says.

Laura has since graduated from high school, attended community college for awhile, and now works at a gymnastics academy. She hopes to earn a gymnastics scholarship and is writing to schools across the country.

Looking back, she says her runaway experience taught her that it might be bad at home, but it's a lot worse on the streets. "There's a better solution," she says.

Lichtman says the situation with her son showed her that there's always hope. "Eight years ago, he was living on the streets on the other side of the country, yet today he is in college, on a good life path, and we have a wonderfully close relationship.

"Last year he came across my story on the Internet of what I went through when he was a runaway," she continues. "He sent me the most wonderful note apologizing for what he had put me through. And I've heard from many ex-runaways who turned the most desperate situations around and reconnected with their families.

"I don't mean to say that the healing process is an easy one. We both sometimes deal with the wounds from that time that haven't completely healed. But I think we also skipped some of the difficult stages most parents and children go through because I saw him as an individual much earlier than usual."

Bryan rarely gets to hear the happy endings that he may have had a part in. "You almost never know if it worked," he says, "but the attempt has been made."

Page: 1 | 2