BREAKING THE CYCLE - The story of a street punk and his adopted family.

A true story about a street kid, his 'street rat' family, adoptive and biological, and their different paths. The situations around them..and I hope a different look into their lives from what some of you would originally think.

I KNOW alot of people see these kids, the tattooed kids, the pierced kids, the street kids. GENUINE street kids. GENUINE street punks. Im not talking about the fashion punks. Im talking PUNX. if you see a genuine street kid from a genuine situation, and feel the need to be that TOTAL BITCH or ASSHOLE and mutter 'get a job" or TAKE A SHOWER!! I hope this spins around perspective a little bit. Do not feel sorry for them. Chances are they have more strength in their little toe than you do in your whole body. They do not need sympathy, they have probably lived their whole lives without it and do not seek it and alot are offended at the notion of 'sympathy' because as a human being they have never recieved it from an outsider and it makes them uncomfortable. Im not saying all DEFINATELY DO, the problem is they ARE fearless and will do what it takes to find peace. Just think for a second..."what if i could learn something here?". What if the kid that you look down on, could teach you more in 10 minutes than youve learnt in your WHOLE life.

The last 2 nights have been terrorising. I could NOT believe when I heard the news. Again. Another young adult from the area and group of people I grew up within had ended their life too early. Far too early. To even think about doing that let alone actually do it, especially at such a bright age, is so very dark and a massive tragedy. These words are grossly under valued so I hope readers really take this in, Carly Staples brought happiness to ALOT of people within her community and here is the part that really needs to be absorbed, this death and tragedy CANNOT BE IN VAIN.

For the kids from the badlands, situations and the lifestyles that were trying, the death of Carly Staples goes beyond the tragic loss of a wonderful person and hits a bit closer to home. The death of Carly Staples (to me) represents a much bigger problem. It represents a vicious, ugly cycle. It represents the need for more people to look past their own front yard. To care what is going on. Its becoming SO impossible to care or help someone else, its dog eat dog. Its lamb eat lion. And its monster eat your child. Because The dog, the lion and the monster have no other choice, If they dont tear you apart, they will be torn apart themselves.

Its ok for others to not see the link between the 2. But i do. Some will agree, some will disagree. And thats ok aswell. The story or my brother and Carly Staples, to me in inspirational.

But this is is where I am refusing to be any of the things above. Its overwhelmingly tempting to be ruthless. Because if you dont be then someone that is will come along and cut you down so fast you wont even know what happened. For the babies that came from bad situations, most of the time it effects us DAILY as adults and constantly leads to further hardship and bad decision making. Hopelessness. Ive left it. I still feel it regularly. Im just one of them few that pretends its all ok. That it didnt stunt me emotionally as an adult. it all leads to us being frowned upon, looked down upon. I can say from experience, there is minimal guidance for these kids out there. There is minimal hope and most of all Minimal understanding.

The day my upset, (young adult) brother came to me and said he was called 'a flea on societies back' by a police person was a day that changed my outlook. My brother was dumpster diving. Waiting for left over produce from bakeries/ supermarkets etc to be dumped so he could get a feed. I guess for some people it is embarrassing, but it is also survival. The will to keep going and taking the less appealling options, not because you want to. because you WANT TO KEEP GOING. To be called an ailment to society for that reason is revolting. its an abuse of power. It didnt make me think the cop was an asshole. It made me think he was priveliged and uneducated, which is an unfortunate combination. I guess its easy to say "get a job". For some people its not that easy. To function within a regular life is a MASSIVE trial. My brother has been on his own since he was a very young boy. Living where he could. He held down a few jobs for significant chunks of time. Which is a big achievement and effort for a mal-adjusted adult. Its an attempt. Dont be fooled into thinking people who resort to these options HAVENT TRIED. If they are still alive, still searching and still attempting another day, then they are giving it all theyve got. They are still trying. If you over look THAT and jump straight into calling someone a 'flea on societies back' then it is not that flea that is lacking a vital part of being a decent human. You, Mr policeman, and your lack of undertsanding and compassion for a young man giving it all hes got to get through another day, are the flea on societies back. Mr Policeman, you do not know the skin of the teeth situation that comes with just trying to get some left over bread from a bakery. And i am happy for you, because you clearly dont understand it, and have been fortunate enough to not experience it. Ever. If you did experience anything like that, you would understand.

Im not the smartest person in the world. But I'm not an idiot. I see what is happening here. I see the way people look down on the "lower class". I see the discrimination. Im sure alot of people do.

One day I posted a photo of my brother on my facebook wall. He was with his friends in their squat. They were all beaming. And i dare say, they had all dealt with more shit in their 20 (give or take) years than most people would have to deal with in a lifetime. Still smiling. I posted it coz I didnt think anything of it. I didnt think of it as sad. I'm so proud of my brother. Then the comments rolled in .."this makes me worried for your brother." "why do you let him stay there?". Truth be told, he had more family ties, understanding and support THERE in THAT place, then what he would EVER get from anyone from the 'upper class'. YES, alot of these kids slept in these places often. Alot of them lived therefrom time to time. I was fortunate enough to have a car to live in for a year. Fortunate enough to have a couch to sleep on occasionally. Some people arnt. And the friends of the street punks who do have somewhere to stay, or have upgraded their living arrangements, and still go back to see their family in the squats are looked down upon. As Scum. That is not scum. That is a person with no predjudice. No discriminations. To me, they have their values very much in tact. Their morals are NOT in disarray. The middle to upper class could learn a thing or 2 from them.

My brother dropped out of school FAR too young. No one interviened. No one actually ever MADE him go. He did not get an education. He is not stupid. He simply has no paperwork to say he is clever and intelligent. Which leads to NO options. Its not like he DIDNT try. After we relocated he came to me and said "i wanna go to school." YES YES!!! WE saved and got his uniforms and books. Hes a talented artist so thats what he focused on. He gave it a fair go. But he was heavily bullied for being 'weird' by the more well off kids. We couldnt afford a school bag, so we sewed a strap to a pillowcase. He TRIED. But emotionally it was far too destructive to his already fragile nature. They bullied him out. I bet their mothers are very proud.

I spent alot of time amongst these bullied and less fortunate kids. I did run away from it. The birth of my daughter when I was a teenager shook me around. Looking back, no one interviened, It was normal for where I grew up, and I was treated appaullingly as a teen mother. I didnt even realise at the time. I thought it was normal. Its not. I did not recieve the same treatment as what a middle to upper class young mother would have. I was scum. I may as well have had it tattooed on my face. I couldnt cope, so I left that place. We needed a fresh start and a fair go. And i took my brother with me. He was still a kid himself. 5 years younger than me. I was 19 when i left. I couldnt hold down a proper job. I was and still am so mal-adjusted. I set out to make my own money on my own terms, and thats what I did. Ive had to hussle like you would not believe. To make enough money to survive with a baby and a brother in tow, and do it honestly, just about broke me.

My brother didnt stay around for long. He even became state property at one stage when he was emitted to a mental hospital. What do we do with these kids?? lock them in a room?? I dont think so. Thats appaulling. They need HELP not isolation and medication. My brother felt too guilty, like he was a burden on myself. If i could have stopped him from leaving I would have. I cried when he left. John drove him away in his shitty little car. It was a selfless decision he made. To leave. It made his life so much harder all over again. He didnt want to burden ANYONE. There is no help for people like my brother. What options does he have? Its an uphill battle and a downhill struggle. He keeps going.

My brother and Carly staples were SO SIMILAR. Very close. Kindred spirits. The paths chosen by both are a testament to the human condition. Companions in what seems like a never ending spiral of SHIT. Tho still staying positive. Happiness does not come from a wallet, it came from each other. The strength of my brother to keep going, even with the loss of Carly who needed to rest, is very symbolic and an inspiration to me as an adult. This is the 7th friend my brother has lost within a very short time. Carly staples plus another 6 that were also very very young. I honestly believe this situation is a result of lack of understanding from society as a whole. Lack of options. lack of hope. it needs to change. He believes it aswell. He chooses to go forth. Its not like he does it defiantly and easily. But he does it. Hats off to him. Someone needs to break the cycle, and i am SO PROUD he is giving it a go.

After hearing about the loss of Carly I was immediately worried and greatly saddened. It was so unexpected. But what does this mean for the others she left behind?? its a great hardship. And i felt sick to my stomach on how he would react. Would he be the 8th friend to pass in a adoptive family of young adults that feel they have no other options? I rang my husband immediately. I was not selfless as my brother has been. I had burdened people with my problems in an attempt to get right. To get square. A few people have beared the brunt of that. The longest running and main person to have done that is Andrew Kerr, my soul mate. I rang Andrew (who fits into this story very soon) straight away to go and find my brother, anyone that knew Ben (my little brother), Knew or knew of Carly and the effect that her passing would have on the community. She was dear to alot of people, my brother being one of the many.

Now to where Andrew fits into breaking the cycle, Andrew Kerr is from what i would call an upper middle class family. His parents are happily married. His siblings are tight knit. He attended a private school. he got a good education in a good area. He openly admits his childhood was amazing and he really hasnt had to deal with any form of huge heartache, loss or hardship. Always taken care of, always provided for. He is everything me and my brother arnt. I guess he was what i would think of as a very lucky and priveliged person. Andrew Kerr, also, took me and my daughter in. He took on my baggage and my issues. He took on hardships and situations that he could never have imagined he would have to. He took on my past. He put it all on his back. And he ran with it. Yes he broke down along the way, its a massive burden to carry, but he dusted it off, saw someone that needed some options and left his comfort zone to HELP. To not discriminate on 2 poor kids from the bad side of town. To not look down on us. To not look down on me for being a teen mum. Never judged. Never blamed, just took it for what it was and got on with it. I always complain and say the universe owes me a lotto win, or something like that. I won the lotto when Andrew Kerr was sent to my remaining family by the universe. I am owed nothing. He saved ME. He could be enjoying a cruisy life with a beautiful and well adjusted lady with no baggage and no children. He's not. Hes a brave man. ANd he is doing what alot of people DONT. Fuck lower class, fuck middle class and fuck upperclass. WE need to break this cycle.

To see atleast ONE person from the middle to upper class that cant even comprehend the hardship, not discriminate or judge the punks and the broken adults, is uplifting. The near miss for me and my brother has been terrifying. Im not asking people to adopt some punk kids from the ghetto, Just some understanding wouldnt go astray. There is nothing scum-like about being backed into a corner with no options. The sooner people realise that, the sooner there is more understanding for optionless kids and young adults that feel they have no way out. If more people looked at that community, how Andrew Kerr looked at me, we wouldnt meet the great loss and tragedy as often as we do.

Different kids, from similar situations, on different paths all based on the help they get/where they are from and the people that judge them. I am very blessed to have had my path interviened by someone that was offering no discrimination and accepted me as ME. I whole heartidly wish Carly Staples had that (what appears to be a) luxury. Acceptance for who you are from all walks of life, all 'classes' of people. Carly Staples brought happiness to alot of people. But didnt see any other option. Because to her there probably wasnt one there. I have a place in my heart for Carly, she was me a few years ago. She was a warrior, a warrior who felt there was no remaining options. I was LUCKY a person looked at me while in that situation with a care in their mind and a though that went beyond "she'll be ok". MAYBE I WASNT. maybe I just needed that 1 person to reach out past what I already had. The thoughts to take the same path as Carly had danced around in my head for years.

So i am HOPING and PLEADING to the kids that come from hardship, keep going. We all need each other. WE can break the cycle eventually. It has to start somewhere. My brother keeps going because he feels this is possible. I am living proof that it IS possible.
and i am HOPING and PLEADING with the people that are fortunate to have never encountered these hardships, to not pass ill judgement on the broken kids and adults. Some of them are giving it a MASSIVE GO by staying around another day. Walk a day in their shoes, let alone 20 + years and you will be TIRED and SORE. Even if its just keeping your mouth shut if you have the urge to comment on a homeless person, a jobless person, couch surfers, punks, teen mums, school drop outs, black, white, public school, private school, street workers, drug users, alcoholics. ANYTHING U WOULD USUALLY LOOK DOWN ON, anyone who you feel like you are better than because of a good upbringing has sent you there.

You can be born into a great situation and NOT act like a total asshole. The people such as the ones listed above that you feel like are scum..are not. Do you really think they have no tried other options?? Some people are born into bad situations and right now feel like they dont stand a chance. If we/they had a chance, they would take it, and if they dont, its because they have never been taught how to or have simply had enough. Straws break camels backs when they are already encumbered. People forget this.

Sometimes all it takes is a few words to change the outcome of someones life. Hopefully everyone reading this will use the words that save it and not destroy it.

Hats off to my brother, Benjamin Apples, for his strength to keep going and seeing the ray of sunshine at the end of the tunnel. Treated like shit his whole life. Onwards, upwards, downwards, sideways...who gives a fuck. Im proud of him and the likes of him to keep going. Your Breaking the cycle. All the kids that have thought about ending it and keep going are breaking the cycle.

Hats off to Andrew Kerr, for representing all it takes for one person that DOESNT understand, to accept that there is all kinds of people. That Just because you were born into gold, you dont have to act like you made from it. Hats off to people like andrew for getting dirty when he COULD be clean for the sake of 'the fleas on societies back'. For bot looking down on less fortunate. Breaking the cycle.

And a moment for Carly Staples. A Literal angel that now represents what we have to keep moving forward for. It cant tear us down any further. Cant let it.

Our babies and younger siblings deserve a fair go. Some of us werent given that. They werent given it by society or chance or fate. We need to break the cycle for younger generations. Think again before passing judgement on people that are less fortunate or live a different lifestyle. The impact could be huge. Everyone deserves an honest OPTION.

Keep fighting. I came out the other side of hardship. My mental and emotional scars are pretty massive. But i came through when i really thought i wouldnt. I wish Carly felt that she could for even 1 second this week.

It takes effort as a society to bring hope. So to all the people that DO pass judgement...You are changing LIVES. For the worse. This outlook as a whole is effecting the options that the "Carly Staples kids' have. To not be taken seriously when you reach out and if you are then there is no option to give. Dont put an ugly, descriminitive brick in your house by laughing or judging someone elses lifestyle. Once society looks at this differently, the government will be FORCED to bring REAL HELP to people who need it. Depression, hardship etc. There needs to be a new exit sign. It cant go on forever and it comes down to a split second of decision making how people deal with hardship. Thats the difference.

Carly staples and the No option 6 are not ficticious characters. They are REAL people that gave it all they had. As a big sister terrified for the remaining kids that i know personally, I am beyond frightened.

People are People. Treat them like that, Mr policeman.