Meet Crystal
Crystal’s journey is one of resilience and rediscovery. A proud mother of three accomplished children, including a Navy engineer, Crystal faced unexpected challenges after her divorce and her children’s departure. Struggling with addiction and grieving the loss of her father, she found herself without a home or a clear path forward.
Seeking help, she turned to Pathways Community Center, where she began to rebuild her life and faith. Crystal now believes her journey has a higher purpose, serving as a reminder that homelessness often stems from profound grief and daily struggles that require compassion and understanding.
Until you walk a day in the life of my shoes- and sometimes I don’t have shoes- you cannot cast judgment.
Crystal grew up in Chester, where she lived at home with two loving parents. She married at 20 and eventually had three amazing kids, all receiving college scholarships. Her youngest daughter is an engineer in the United States Navy. Crystal is extremely proud of her well-rounded children. Now divorced and her children grown, she decided to move in with her father to work and save money but found herself struggling with drug addiction.
As she began to spiral, her father passed away, and she became homeless. Crystal couldn’t locate services and assistance nearby, so she came to Rock Hill and discovered Pathways Community Center. Crystal now believes God has a greater purpose for her life and journey. She wants to remind everyone that homelessness is a form of grief for many and is an everyday struggle.