Noah’s story begins in a place no 14-year-old imagines—alone in a juvenile detention cell with nothing but a mattress and blanket. No pillow. No therapy. No activities. “We had to stay in our pods,” Noah recalls. “All we had were books and a blanket. No exercise, no nothing.” For four months, that was his reality. He was scared, angry, and isolated. He even broke his hand punching a wall out of frustration. With no outlet, Noah gained 30 pounds and felt worse about himself than ever before.
“I did stuff I should not have,” Noah admits. “I regret it, and I broke a lot of people’s hearts.” That regret weighed heavily on him, along with the loss of relationships he cherished. His girlfriend left. His siblings were angry. “My little brother still loves me,” he says, “but my sisters hate me.”
When the time came to leave detention, Noah had a choice: a facility closer to home or Rawhide. “I thought, what place is going to help me more?” he says. “So I picked Rawhide because it seemed like it would help out more.” That decision changed everything.
At Rawhide, Noah found therapy, activities, and staff who cared. “Austin and Damien—they’re like big brothers to me,” he says. “They talk to us when we’re frustrated and make up fun activities. They wouldn’t do any of that if they didn’t care.”
Noah started managing his emotions and getting active again lifting weights, doing push-ups, and playing basketball. “I was pushing about 230 pounds when I got here,” he says. “Now I’m down to 200.”
His work ethic earned him Student of the Month. “I think I got picked because I’m a hard worker,” Noah says. “I stay out of trouble, and I help kids out when they need it.” He sees himself as a mentor or a big brother to others in his house. Helping others isn’t new for Noah. His dad is a mobile mechanic who fixes cars for families who can’t afford shop prices. “If people can’t pay, they still need help, especially if they have kids,” Noah says. “If I can help them, I’m going to, even if it’s for free.” Noah plans to follow in his dad’s footsteps, attend a technical school in Arizona, and work alongside him helping families who need it most.
Noah knows he can’t change the past, but he’s determined to build a better future. Today, he’s more than a kid who made mistakes. He’s a young man learning to manage his emotions, rebuild broken relationships, and live out his passion for helping others. “I feel good about what I’m doing now,” he says. “I’m not wasting my time here.”
Noah’s message to donors: “Thank you for everything you do for Rawhide. You’ve made a difference.”
