Monday, December 23, 2019
My condolences goes out to all family and friends. My name is Tarel. I was one of the troubled kids in brace residential back in 1999-2000. For years I always tried to search for Ms. Cornell trying to just reach out to her and say thank you. Sometimes I always had felt a need to hear her speak to me again. She always knew what to say and most importantly Ms. Cornell understood me. She knew my flaws and she always knew there was a part of me that was damaged but yet she never stopped believing in me. I recently just saw this post after trying to find her again and I read she had passed away. It broke my heart. I always wanted to make her proud and let her meet my kids. I knew she would be proud of me. She'd probably tell me " You're doing a great job kid". It's hard to explain all of this. You'd just have to be that kid. O.C.F.S was a lonely place for a 13 year old kid but Ms. Cornell had a way of making everyone feel important. I was a hopeless kid. And she always believed in me. For me when I was at brace that was my family. I never been treated so good until I went to brace. It was there that taught me right from wrong. I wrote my first speech there when getting into trouble Mr. Wynn made me write a story about following rules and then I had to speak out in front of all the staff and residents. Those were the days. Boy oh boy. Mr. Hal Hingos, Mr. Sam Caretell, Mr. Brink, Mr. Kuhn, Ivan Cruz, Mr. Dunston, My mentor Birch, Mr. Hoffman, Mr. Delarose, Mr. Wynn, and Ms. Hazel. I can never forget. I was that boy. Thank you!!!!! Ms.Cornell if you can see this I want you to know I haven't stopped trying. I'm still pushing..... My kids are amazing. I have a 11 year old boy and 13 yearld girl. They are better than me when I was that age. I kept them out the streets. When I waa 13 I was in jail, when I look at my daughter who is 13cI say to myself How did i get into trouble so early in age. You helped me find that answer. You didn't always think it was our faults. You believed parents needed to play majot roles in their kids lives. Ms. Cornell I raise them like you would have wanted me too. May god bless your spirit. I pray for you. No matter what anyone say you was always my perfect parent. You gave me hope when no on couldn't. When I didn't think there was anyway you helped me see that there was. You helped me to believe in myself when I didn't. I love you always Mother Cornell. And I'm so sorry I didnt try harder to thank you. Thank you so much. And may god bless your family. I will never forget what you told me. Your wisdom is instilled in my heart forever.