Tammy still remembers what it was like to be 16 years old – pregnant, alone, and terrified of what would happen next.

A lifelong Manchester resident, Tammy spent weeks hiding her pregnancy from her family after learning she had already been six months along.

“I knew my mom would throw me out,” Tammy recalled.

That fear soon became reality.

Tammy found herself living alone in a minuscule Manchester apartment, preparing to raise a baby on her own at just 16 years old. Up until the week her first son was born, she worked at McDonald’s, walking across the city for her shifts, while depending on state assistance to survive.

During one of her most difficult moments, Tammy connected with Catholic Charities NH through its Our Place program, an experience that would shape her future.

The Support Tammy Never Expected

Tammy found not only resources for herself and her newborn, but a community of moms she keeps in touch with to this day. “They taught us how to care for a newborn, how to parent, and even to step away and breathe when things get hard,” Tammy said. “They were angels on Earth.” It was there she began to believe she could become the mother she wanted to be for her newborn.

The skills she gained at Our Place helped her become the parent she is today.

Tammy went on to raise three children while balancing a career in customer service and administration. An avid runner, she trained for hours before and after work, eventually earning her spot in the Boston Marathon. The road wasn’t always easy, but these foundations kept Tammy moving forward.

Then at 43 years old, everything changed again.

The Year Everything Changed

Tammy began experiencing severe dizziness, headaches and balancing issues, symptoms she later described as “walking through a fun house.”

After being sent home by her doctor, she experienced a catastrophic stroke two days later.

“I remember sitting at the table trying to lift my fork,” Tammy recalled. “And then everything went dark.”

Tammy was left partially paralyzed by the stroke, unable to eat or care for herself. She spent two months in and out of hospitals and rehabilitation centers learning how to navigate in a very different reality.

The weeks that followed became overwhelming. Her marriage came to an end, friends drifted away, and everyday tasks like

getting groceries became almost impossible.

Living on disability income, Tammy stretched food as far as possible while depending on others for rides.

“I didn’t want to be a burden,” Tammy remarked.

While watching television early one morning, Tammy saw a commercial that brought her back to Catholic Charities NH. It was then she learned about the CareGivers program, which provides seniors and disabled individuals with rides to appointments, food deliveries, and other support that keeps them socially connected.

That’s when she made a phone call that opened a new chapter.

More Than a Ride

Today, CareGivers helps Tammy with transportation to doctor appointments and monthly grocery deliveries, helping her maintain the independence she fought hard to regain after her stroke. But Tammy says the greatest gift isn’t the rides or groceries. It’s connection.

“When someone pulls up happy to see me, I feel like a million dollars,” Tammy exclaimed.

Tammy spends many days almost entirely by herself, except for her rescue dog, Mr. Big.

It means more than many realize when a volunteer sits with Tammy at appointments, carries in her groceries, or simply spends time with her. “They don’t just give people rides, they give people lives.”

One volunteer comforted Tammy when she became car sick during a ride home from an appointment. Another often brings her children along for grocery deliveries, adding light to Tammy’s week.

Those interactions help make Tammy feel as if she is part of the world again.

Today, Tammy lives independently and treasures quality time with her family. Looking back, Tammy sees a thread connecting two of the hardest chapters of her life.

At 16, Catholic Charities NH helped her believe in her future.

Decades later, it reminded her she did not have to face life’s challenges alone.