Through Hope and Prayer

A Woman Overcomes Challenges in Her Life
By Alyssa Vaquero
Staff Writer

Walking past many friendly faces in the halls of HCC, it’s difficult to think that one of those people could have a very dark past. Deborah Underhill is a recovering alcoholic and addict. After her second child was born, her husband left her and they divorced.

“I turned to alcohol because it helped me forget that he didn’t love me anyone,” she explained.

Her usage only escalated once her children were taken away from her by The Department of Children and Family Services and were adopted, and she then lost her house.

After being homeless for nearly four months, she began a violent relationship. She found herself in a relationship for eight years where she was cut and stabbed multiple times. But, that doesn’t nearly compare to the other incidents where she had numerous broken bones. This meant frequent visits to the hospital and through it all; her sister was by her side every step of the way.

“She was my biggest support,” Underhill said. “My sister wanted me to make decisions on my own. She gave me all the treatment programs and phone numbers, and it was up to me to call. I did, and I was scared to death.”

During her recovery from the stabbing, she reunited with her mother after a ten-year absence. Her alcohol abuse had made Underhill push everyone away.

She had lost her privileges to see her children because she was not getting any better. Slowly, but surely, her sons went to see her in the hospital, after not having any contact with one another for ten years.

“I began to established relationships again,” she explained. “The bridge wasn’t burned where I thought it was and I saw the benefits; I was so thankful, so grateful, that my spirituality grew even more and I embraced it.”

Underhill mentioned how her mother gave her and her siblings a religion-based foundation. “I have to say I never lost my faith through all of this,” she proudly said. “I always thought my faith left me, but I was the one who basically put it to a back burner.”

She went to a program for a month, but had to leave because she wasn’t court mandated; she had voluntarily admitted herself. She found another program and stayed there for five months. “It was a huge experience,” she said. “Through their structured programs, meetings, and talking about it, the old Deborah started to evolve again.”

Once she was out of the program again, because she was a volunteer, her sister found a room for rent - Underhill went to live there. Within a week, she was working at Dunkin’ Donuts. Both her sister and mother gave her rides to work and she managed to pay all her bills on her own. “I managed to learn life skills again; living on your own, going to church and spending time with my family. I wasn’t allowed yet to go to my mom’s house when she wasn’t there, but the trust started to build. All what I thought I had lost, I gained. The power of prayer; that opens and closes my door every day.”

Underhill, who once struggled for everything, now in her life she has a vehicle, an apartment with one of her sons, and two jobs, which one is being a work study student in HCC’s library. She is currently a Human Services major.

“I want to give back what was given to me,” she said. “I was also homeless at one point in my life and a victim of domestic violence. I never knew why I stayed with him and I wanted to find out that answer. I thought that I could help others realize that there is a way out; it might be difficult, but it is possible.”

Underhill recognizes that there are individuals who are going through or have gone through similar situations as hers. Her advice is, “Have faith and hope. You have to have a hope or all is lost. Have faith and hope in yourself because that’s what pulls you through. And don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

She said there are still more challenges that lie ahead. However, with with confidence, she added, “But I’ll be fine.”