This story was originally published in the Miami Herald in partnership with the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media.
David Gaston sits on his grey couch, gazing forward. He clutches nervously at his knees as he recalls the moment he realized he needed help.
Born and raised in Miami to a single Haitian mother, the 19-year-old hasn’t had much stability in his life.
His mother lacks a steady job and lives in a rundown apartment building. He and his two older siblings have often been forced to skip dinner and portion the food they can afford – like a single pizza – to last for several days.
It was in high school that Gaston decided to move out and live with his grandfather.
“It was constant stress,” he said. “But I didn’t really have anywhere to go at the time.”
His grandfather had a one-bedroom apartment, and other family members moved in alongside Gaston. With five people crammed into the unit, it wasn’t long before he had to find another roof over his head. The need arose suddenly.
“I was told that I had to leave,” Gaston said.
That was the moment he decided he needed to reach out for help.
“All of these circumstances were happening at once,” Gaston said. “It would be rough on any high schooler, right?”
Gaston opened up about his struggles to his high school guidance counselor, who reached out to “Educate Tomorrow,” a non-profit organization focused on post-secondary education access for students.
The organization offered Gaston an opportunity to apply for Casa Valentina, which provides safe housing and life skills training for at-risk youth.
That was 2024. After submitting his application, he moved in with his aunt, but stayed only two months. He began studying at Miami-Dade College, and around the same time, Casa Valentina provided him with a one-bedroom unit through a partnership with Camillus House, a homeless services provider.
“He had a rough upbringing, but he did not allow that to stop him from reaching his goals,” said Jacqueline Dorval, Gaston’s program coordinator at Casa Valentina, which nominated him for Wish Book.
Since then, Gaston has been an active resident of the organization, where he has acquired skills such as cooking and budgeting.
His Wish Book requests are a stainless steel cooking set so he can prep meals and a TI-Nspire calculator for his courses.
Gaston is now studying biomedical engineering at Miami-Dade, where he is also president of the Caribbean Students Association. And he participates in the Rising Scholars program, which provides financial assistance and guidance.
“I try to keep myself busy with things I’m interested in,” he said of his many extracurricular pursuits. “I treat them as an escape to ground myself.”
Those around him have noticed Gaston’s newfound sense of peace.
“The confidence that he has now has been so amazing to watch,” said Casa Valentina’s Dorval. “From the time that he’s been with us, he’s felt a sense of support and that’s what he’s been craving for a very, very long time.”
Gaston advises anyone who has experienced struggles like his to reach out for help.
“There is a light at the end of the tunnel,” Gaston said with a smile. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I felt like there wasn’t a solution to escape the situation, but there is.”
