Brenda Mancuso: HOP Support for PTSD
Four years ago, a violent attack forever altered Brenda Mancuso’s life when she became a victim of a stabbing. This is a trauma that would leave physical and emotional scars. At the time, she was working at the Steak House inside the Casino. She had never relied on government help in her nearly 60 years. But after the attack, suddenly everything that once was manageable became a struggle. The pain, the fear, and the haunting shadows of PTSD.
“I went back to work after the attack, and I didn’t know I had ptsd until I did. Working at the casino again is not an option for me. It’s what forced me to find as many resources as possible.”
(Pictured above: Brenda and her cat)
“I was in a very depressive state,” Brenda remembers.
For Brenda, asking for help did not come easily. But when she was at her lowest, our team at HCM with HOP stepped in to provide the support she needed, without judgment or pity.
“Not one single person ever made me feel less than,” she says. “No one was even hesitant.”
The aftermath of the attack left her with chronic pain. But she thankfully found improvement with an anti-inflammatory diet. With the help of food vouchers from HOP, Brenda could access healthy, nourishing food. “I suffered from a lot of pain,” she recalls. And having access to nutritious foods helped her to feel better.
“I think it’s important to know that we can never know the circumstances people are in. If you look at me, I look like I have viable income, but no one knows the emotional and physical ramifications that led me to not be able to work. For the first time in my life, I had to take care of myself, and whatever I lost in the process didn’t matter. But at my lowest point, I was helped by Haywood Christian Ministry’s HOP Program. So many people are working together to help. I’m not the kind of person who asks for help, so when I did. I was made to feel human and treated in a compassionate way, which helped me so much. Necessities of life were provided, so I didn’t have to stress as much while I worked through the absolute worst trauma.”
Life didn’t get easier overnight. Brenda had to move into an RV to survive financially. When she discovered it was leaking and potentially beginning to grow mold, she feared she’d lose her RV. But thanks to the support of HOP and our team, we installed a roof over Brenda’s RV, providing a safe space from the dangers of mold and further health risks.
With the abundance of healthy foods HOP provided with the food vouchers, Brenda learned how to can her food, turning survival into sustainability.
“What I learned is invaluable. We need to continue to help people feel more human because you don’t know someone’s trauma. I think the HOP program is an excellent support mechanism that must not be overlooked.”
HOP also helped her find a way to reconnect with the world outside her pain. With gas supplementation, Brenda could visit friends again, something that gave her joy and a sense of normalcy she hadn’t felt in years. And more than anything, HOP helped her to walk again, both literally and metaphorically.
Brenda reflects on her journey not with bitterness, but with gratitude. “HOP significantly helped me.” Providing her with healthy foods, housing support, and even support in visiting friends.
Special thank you to our HOP team and Brenda for sharing her inspiring story.
