Cooper’s Journey After Loss

April 24, 2026

Cooper didn’t want to tell his grandmother about the suspension.

She warned him the last time he got in trouble at school that he might get kicked out of her house if it happened again. And he intended to stay out of trouble. But since his mom died, anger seemed to erupt out of him uncontrollably.

A wrong word or look from a classmate would turn into a fistfight. And he took his anger out on his grandmother, too. He would find himself yelling at her and losing his temper over small things.

His grandmother was elderly and in poor health. When Cooper’s mom died from cancer, she took him in because there was nobody else. His dad had never been in the picture, and there was no other family. But she was not prepared to raise a teenage boy, and Cooper hadn’t made things any easier on her.

His behavior at school had earned him detentions and suspensions. And after the last incident, his principal was threatening to expel Cooper if he didn’t shape up.

Unfortunately, Cooper’s good intentions weren’t enough to keep him out of trouble.

When Cooper arrived home after being suspended, his principal had already called his grandmother. She was waiting for him in their living room, very upset. She told Cooper that he was going to have to start to see a therapist to learn better ways to deal with his anger.

Cooper didn’t want to go to a therapist, but his grandmother told him that it was the only way he would be allowed to continue living in her home. So, he agreed.

But even though he met weekly with his therapist, he struggled to share his feelings. Very little progress was made.

Cooper’s therapist, recognizing that Cooper needed more support than his grandmother was able to give him, recommended Mercy Home. She explained that not only would Cooper receive therapeutic support to deal with his grief and anger, he would also get help with his schoolwork, receive career guidance, and build other key skills to grow into a successful adult.

Cooper wasn’t sure that Mercy Home was the right place for him. But he also knew that he was in danger of being expelled from school and being kicked out of his grandmother’s home. He agreed to give it a try.

Cooper had weekly visits with his Mercy Home therapist, as well as family therapy with his grandma and group therapy with the other boys living at the Home. Cooper also learned healthy ways to deal with his anger. Instead of getting into fights, he’s learned to express himself through writing or art, or burn off some energy in our gym playing basketball. His outbursts have greatly reduced, and we are so proud of the progress he has made.

Cooper also saw a big change in his grades. Before, he spent most of his school days in the principal’s office and didn’t spend time focusing on learning. But with the support of our coworkers and a tutor, his grades have improved, and he feels more confident in the classroom.

Best of all, Cooper’s relationship with his grandmother has greatly improved. They are communicating better than before, and she’s proud of the progress he is making. When he goes home on weekends and holidays to visit, the time spent together is peaceful.

We are so proud of all Cooper has accomplished, and it’s thanks to your prayers and support.

Please note: Because we care deeply about protecting our children’s privacy, the names and certain identifying details in this story have been changed.