Sean's Journey: From Abuse to Independence

Hey, my name is Sean. I'm 16 years old and I recently got kicked out of my house due to a fight caused by my biological father. I had recently moved back in with him and his wife about 6 months ago because of a different situation. But I had moved in with my father when I was 7 years old and that was in 2017. Ever since then, he has abused me, neglected me, and left me to raise myself. There have been dozens of CPS cases open, and CPS hasn’t done anything to help me. As soon as he says I can just go stay with a friend for a couple of weeks or stay with family too, they close the case and he just takes me back.

The cause of our fight was me saying I needed to talk to him because I had been working with him and he owed me over $1180, and I said I wasn’t going to work until I got paid. He got pissed about it because he needs to control every aspect of my life while I’m still trying to do high school. But I told him I had already found a new job and that I’m quitting, and he went off. I said I’m not going to talk about this anymore, I'm going to walk away because my little sister, who is 1 year old, is watching you scream at me, crying. I’m a bigger person to let him control me, so I went to my room in the basement and sat on my bed. He said, 'Give me your phone. I'm taking it away.' He should have no reason or need to want my phone because I’m the one who pays for all of it, the phone and the data. So he continues to ask for it until he puts his hands on me. I try to go to the only exit because my room in the basement has only one way out and there are no windows. He grabbed my arm to take my phone and I said, 'Don’t touch me,' and I continued to walk around him while he was screaming in my face. He whips his arm back and punches me right in my face.

Well, I’m not 12 or 13 anymore. I’m old enough to defend myself, which he has never experienced. I tackled him into my TV stand just like in football. Then I double-leg slammed him like in wrestling on my concrete floor. He wouldn’t let go of me, and I was scared for my life because I had recently suffered from a concussion at state for wrestling and I slammed my head on the floor. I thought I was going to die because of the things he was telling me. I ended up getting on top of him with double legs and punching him twice in the face, then trying to get away while he was stunned. Then my stepmom walks through the door and starts to grab my hair and pull me down. He comes back over and grabs me too, and both of them are just acting crazy. All I’m trying to do is get away, so I threw my phone and they both went after it like sick dogs. I didn’t care about the phone; it was just the fact it was literally my property. I go to the neighbors and call the police. I am puking and falling over. My eye is swollen shut and I get rushed to the hospital to see if I broke any bones in my head and neck. I got diagnosed with another condition which led to me not wrestling club this year, not being able to go to nationals for my 3rd year in a row, and losing my full-ride scholarship I had depending on how good I did at state.

Now I’m just bouncing between houses of friends, working as much as possible to fend for myself and try to stay on my feet. I’m supposed to be going to court soon, but I have gotten no updates. CPS closed the case after I left the hospital the next day. I have been reaching out to everyone who I have stayed with to side with me at court and help me, and I am so very grateful for everyone. I don't know what I would do without them, especially my girlfriend. She is so amazing and I want to give her the world. I feel like I’m letting everyone down, but I’m trying so hard to keep a straight face as always because that’s me. Everyone loves me everywhere I go. I'm funny, I’m genuine, and I’m very smart. I finished my last semester with a 3.8 GPA. I’m just trying to get some money for myself for food and clothes because they’re still at the house, and I’m trying to find a vehicle that can get me places. I literally just got my license a week ago, which I’m super excited about.

Thank you for listening to me and if you can help me find cheap places and a truck, I will literally work at your house and pay it off if that’s the case. Please, I’m asking for help. Thank you again.