‘Don’t be afraid to ask for help’: Student escapes a stressful family environment
David Gaston sits on his grey couch, gazing forward. The 19-year-old clutches nervously at his knees as he recalls the moment he realized he needed help.
Born and raised in Miami by a single Haitian mother, he hadn’t had much stability in his young life.
His mother lacked a steady job and lived in a rundown apartment building. He and his two older siblings were often forced to skip dinner and portion the food they could afford, like a single pizza, to last for several days.
Gaston was in high school when he 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’s apartment had only one bedroom, 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 nonprofit 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 and began studying at Miami Dade College. He stayed with his aunt only two months, then Casa Valentina provided him with a one-bedroom unit through a partnership with Camillus House, which provides services to the homeless.
“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 the Miami Herald’s Wish Book program.
Since then, Gaston has acquired skills such as cooking and budgeting through the organization.
His Wish Book requests are a stainless steel cooking set so he can prepare meals and a TI-Nspire calculator to use in his courses.
Gaston is studying biomedical engineering at Miami Dade College, 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.”
HOW TO HELP
To help this Wish Book nominee and more than 100 others who are in need this year:
▪ To donate, use the coupon found in the newspaper or pay securely online through www.MiamiHerald.com/wishbook
▪ For more information, call 305-376-2906 or email Wishbook@MiamiHerald.com
▪ The most requested items are often laptops and tablets for school, furniture, and accessible vans
▪ Read all Wish Book stories on www.MiamiHerald.com/wishbook
This story is the product of a partnership between the Miami Herald and the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media at Florida International University.
This story was originally published November 29, 2025 at 5:00 AM.