From Foster Care to Trauma, Mother Fights for Children's Future
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Sarah Dahan, a mother of three, has overcome a life of foster care, abuse, and the trauma of the October 7th attack in Sderot. She is now battling health issues and significant debt while fighting to provide a better future for her children.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Sarah Dahan endured foster care, abuse, and the October 7th attack.
- She is determined to shield her three children from her past traumas.
- Dahan faces health challenges and hundreds of thousands in debt.
- She has launched a crowdfunding campaign to improve their lives.
- Her request for accessible housing has been denied.
Sarah Dahan, a 28-year-old mother of three, has endured a life marked by hardship, beginning with her placement in foster care at age three. She navigated multiple institutions, experienced a violent relationship, and lived through the October 7th Hamas attack in Sderot. Today, she is battling significant debt and health issues, including epilepsy, while striving to provide a stable and loving environment for her children, determined that they will not suffer the same traumas she has.
Dahan's early life involved moving between various foster homes and institutions, including a period in a youth village for suicidal teens, despite her never having suicidal thoughts. These experiences left her with deep emotional scars. At 15, she became pregnant and later had two more children, finding herself in a difficult, abusive relationship. She eventually left this relationship and, after her children were temporarily removed by welfare services, worked to regain stability, securing public housing and eventually having her two older children returned to her care.
The October 7th attack in Sderot profoundly impacted Dahan and her children. They hid for six hours during the onslaught, and the event has left lasting psychological scars, particularly on her eldest daughter, who grapples with survivor's guilt. Dahan is now focused on her children's well-being, hoping for a better future for them, and is determined to shield them from the hardships she faced.
Despite her health challenges, which make climbing stairs to her third-floor apartment difficult, Dahan is actively seeking ways to improve their situation. She is about to start work as a driver and has launched a crowdfunding campaign called "Defeating Life" to help manage her substantial debts, which she attributes to her mother making purchases in her name. She has also applied for a transfer to a more accessible apartment, a request that has so far been denied. Dahan remains resilient, stating, "My heart is broken, but my spirit is not broken," as she continues her fight for her children.