This is a submission we received from one of the families we are working with.  Thirteen-year-old Arielle Murray wrote this lovely poem which pretty much sums up how heartbreaking this whole scenario is for teenagers as they lose their lives to mold from a hurricane.  We would like to share it with you.

Mold...The Destroyer

Only 13 years old exposed to mold
People don't understand, even when they are told.

For five whole years, we didn't know what was making us ill
All my parents could say is it must be God's will.

One doctor said one thing, one doctor said another
All I know is I almost lost my mother.

She laid in bed for two whole years
All I saw come out of her eyes were tears.

I kept on saying what's wrong with you
All she said is "Arielle I wish I knew."

Two years before, she took me to school,
She went to my brothers baseball games,
She came and watched me at gymnastics,
She was my mom, she was cool.

Mold took over her life, It took over all of our lives.
All my dad wanted was his old wife.

Then we all started getting sick headaches, and burning nose,
Our whole bodys hurt, from our head to our toes.

It not only effects your body, but also your brain
Once your exposed you will never be the same.

We tried evrything we could think of and then lost our house,

All we have now is each other and love, I pray to God every single night
Make us the way we use to be, make everything alright.

The End
By: Arielle Murray Age 13 Mold...The Destroyer