Chase's Story

For 9-year-old Chase, the loss of his mother was the beginning of his nightmare. Shortly after her death, Chase’s father started hitting the bottle hard and hitting Chase even harder. Chase withdrew from social situations with other kids and began wearing long-sleeved shirts to cover his bruises, fearing that others would find out about his beatings.

After being removed from his abusive home, Chase was introduced to Free Arts Minnesota. There, he had an outlet to express himself. It helped boost his self-esteem and gave him something to smile about. One volunteer recalled Chase’s excitement at sharing a picture with him. He told the volunteer, “You make me feel special…really, really special.”