Helping the London shelter that helped his family, 25 years ago
Darcie Da Silva launches 'Maria's Christmas Wish' campaign in tribute to his late mother
Twenty-five years ago, Darcie Da Silva's family faced a fateful decision.
At the time, Darcie was six years old and his mother Maria was trapped in an abusive relationship with two kids.
Da Silva remembers the fear running through the family at the time, and the courageous decision his mother made to leave.
"She had a choice at that point: To stay where we were, or make that decision to search for shelter," he said. "It was a confusing time for us."
The family's salvation during that troubled time was Women's Community House, a London, Ont., agency that provides shelter for women and their children fleeing gender-based violence. Its name today is Anova.
"To just pack up your bags and leave, it's not possible to comprehend how serious the situation is at that point," he said. "It's a lot of change and you're just trying to adjust to what is a new home for you.
"We're very grateful that London had those types of services for us," said Da Silva, who now lives in Toronto. "Coming back over the years, I've always had a soft spot for these shelters that Anova cares for."
To help give back, Da Silva is now working to raise money in a campaign he calls Maria's Christmas Wish. It's named in memory of his mother, who died just after Christmas in 2016.
At last check on Friday, the campaign on CanadaHelps.org was about $500 shy of its $10,000 funding goal.
In the past, Darcie has donated toys to Anova. This year, he wanted to do more.
"The community has completely rallied behind us," he said.
Da Silva says he will forever remain grateful to Anova and shelters like it across the country that provide help for women and their families in similar situations. And of course, his gratitude also extends to his mother.
"To know that other families are benefiting from the courage and the strength that she had, to put her family in a position to give back down the road," he said. "I'm fortunate to be in the situation I'm in now. I'm extremely grateful for everything that I have. I've got a great family, beautiful daughter."