If There is Breath, There is Hope

by Christian D. Piatt

In the mid-seventies, Juretha enjoyed the freewheeling lifestyle like many others. The threat of AIDS was yet to emerge on the horizon, and ‘high-risk behavior’ carried a different meaning.

Unfortunately for Juretha, the party lasted too long. She became addicted to drugs, and was diagnosed HIV-positive in 1993. She was 37 years old at the time.

A single mother of four girls from Spanish Harlem, Juretha had known struggles in her life. However, nothing prepared her for the challenges she would face living with HIV. For her, faith and family were central to her very survival.

“I was at work (at a church) and my doctor called me and said, ‘Juretha, are you sitting down?’” she explains. “He proceeded to tell me that I my diagnosis showed HIV. At first, I was taken back, (but) realistically I was not surprised because of my previous lifestyle. In that same day, I went on a thank you binge to God.”

Juretha chose to focus on gratitude for her life and family rather than succumb to the devastation of the news. For her, it was the wakeup call she needed to find renewed purpose. “My motto is that the life I live is not my own,” she says. “It is for others.”

For years, Juretha managed with the help of her family and church, but as time went on, the pressure of life weighed down on her. “I was in need of financial assistance because I became very sick and no longer could work,” she says. Juretha was led to Samaritan House by counselors at AIDS Outreach Center. She suffered a stroke in 2004, which further aggravated her desire for independence, and the bills piled up.

Juretha credits all of the Samaritan House staff with assisting in her recovery, but she notes that Sue Mahoney was the cornerstone of her new foundation. Sue helped her manage the intake process, and continues to encourage her to pursue more than just life. She believes in her potential, her courage and supports her in the pursuit of her dreams.

Juretha recently graduated with a 3.85 grade point average from Mountain View College with her Associates degree, and she plans to enter into a Bachelor’s program at UT-Arlington in the fall. She has been the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, including the Guy Gooding Leadership Award, the Mary K. Patton Scholarship, the National Dean’s List, and she is a member of both the Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha Delta Omega Honor Societies.
In 2002, Juretha received the Erin Tierney Kramp Encouragement Scholarship for Fall 2002. This scholarship is awarded to those who have demonstrated courage and perseverance in the face of adversity, and who exemplify high moral character. Only two candidates are awarded this scholarship annually, out of seven community colleges in her system.

It is Juretha’s dream to complete her master’s degree and to become licensed as a chemical dependency counselor. When not at school, she currently volunteers at a local nursing home, and periodically speak to single mothers who are recovering addicts. She believes that, for herself and those whom she helps, nothing is stronger than the human spirit.

To those who are still struggling with a life best by challenges, she has this to say: “This is not the end but the beginning. Your past is behind you and your future is ahead of you. Arise out of your wreck and begin living. You (can) live against all odds.”

Juretha’s strength shines through in every word and action. She views herself as an example, rather than a victim. “My spirit is indomitable,” she proclaims. “I will walk in my destiny and fulfill my dreams. As long as there is breath, there is hope.”