Christie Goetz: Redeeming Lifestory
My name is Christie and I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. Growing up, my biggest passions were dancing, sports, teaching, and history. I love warm weather, so I chose to relocate as far south as I could after high school. I, therefore, moved to Clemson in the fall of 2003. During my freshman year in college, I walked onto the women’s NCAA rowing team. I was a double major in history and education. In the Spring, I also became apart of Gamma Sigma Sigma, a service sorority. In 2007, I graduated and received my degree in history. Six months later, I went back and began working on my Master’s of Education. I received my Master’s and my teaching license in June of 2010. I was unable to find a job, so I began subbing in Pickens county. My son was born in October 2011, and I had to stop teaching due to my sons’ special needs. In December of 2018, I left my home for almost six years with only a duffle bag full of clothes. My son and I spent the next two months sleeping on my friends’ couches.
On January 24th, 2019, I spent the first night in my new apartment. I remember watching my son sleep in his bed, as I slept next to him on his blow-up mattress. During this stage of my life, I was at my lowest point. I had very little self-esteem. I was scared, sad, hurt, and broken in every capacity. I wondered if I had even made the right decision in walking away from someone I had spent almost fifteen years with. Two of my closest friends encouraged me to apply to the Ripple of One program. I had applied once, but my ex had refused to apply with me, so I applied again.
However, I am glad to say that I began working for a different wireless retailer and my new coworkers are incredibly encouraging! Ripple has also impacted my sons’ lives in a huge way! My son has found friends at Ripple and loves gardening in the Ripple Garden. Since my son has difficulty speaking, the Ripple Staff brought in someone to help the other kids learn sign language and effectively communicate with him. I am looking forward to becoming a homeowner soon. I am also working towards maintaining stability within our lives so that we experience a more fulfilling life. I am excited about the future of my son and myself! We could not have survived without the support and direction from the Ripple of One program!
After joining the Ripple of One program, I have fully developed my confidence. I now know what healthy relationships and boundaries are. I have a great circle of people that support me on a regular basis. When I look at the woman staring back at me in the mirror, I am proud of how far she has come. I don’t look like the same girl from two weeks ago, let alone a year ago. Before Ripple, my bank account was always overdrawn; and I always needed assistance paying the bills. Now that I have graduated from the program, I now know how to budget effectively. Since joining Ripple, I have also found a better job! Prior to Ripple, I was an assistant manager/sales lead at a third-party wireless company. The wireless company wasn’t very supportive of my son’s needs.