Richard’s Story

Sometimes second chances come from unexpected places. Richard’s story and second chance came from a meeting with OhioGuidestone Clinical Supervisor Cheryl Hines and her staff.

Richard was seeking a chance to reclaim his role as a father to his 6-year-old son who was in foster care under permanent custody. Richard had lost custody when substance use led to a prison sentence.

Now in recovery, Richard joined OhioGuidestone’s parent mentoring program. The personalized, one-on-one program addresses case-specific needs of each parent, which is how he met Cheryl Hines.

When OhioGuidestone first became involved in his case, Richard wasn’t receiving regular or consistent time with his son. Hines and her staff encouraged Richard to advocate for his rights as a parent and he did.

“It’s not often that we see fathers fight so persistently for their children,” Hines said. “Richard’s determination to reunite with his son was nothing short of inspiring -especially with the humility and gentleness he demonstrated, he absolutely deserved a second chance, and ultimately everyone came to agree.”

Listen to Richard’s story in the video below.