Myles Fredson's story

_ Some of the craziest times of my life. It's crazy how subconsciously my mind has blocked most of it out but reading everyone's stories takes me right back. I can never forget some of the terrible things I witnessed and went through. I hope all of the Casa students were able to take some good away from the program as hard as it was to go through it all. I remember my case worker Elsa telling me to try to look at it like a vacation. "Look around you Myles, you're in Mexico! It's beautiful here", she would say. All I saw was the high walls surrounding me when I wasn't looking at the back of the head of the next shortest guy in my "family". I loved the nights the best. Looking up to the stars and imagining for a second that I was somewhere else in the world. Or laying in bed and closing my eyes and letting my dreams take me outside those walls for the night. I loved the few times that it would rain because it would reminded me of being back home in the Wash! I am a stronger person because of CASA but I wouldn't wish what we had to go through on anyone. I'm glad it has since been closed down but I'm also glad to have been a part of it. CASA and other trials that I had to overcome in my life are a huge part of what make me the person that I am today, and for that I'm grateful.