After the sudden loss of his mother, 10-year-old Daron Brim relocated from Los Angeles to Houston to live with his guardian, Blair Redmond. Facing a new city and school, Daron was introduced to Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT), a program created by The Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium that provides free access to licensed mental health professionals for Texas students. UTHealth Houston therapists participate in this initiative.
Daron began therapy sessions with Marisol Mendez, MEd, a licensed professional counselor and TCHATT provider at UTHealth Houston. Mendez described Daron’s approach to the process: “Daron is a beautiful person who experienced something terrible. Throughout our therapeutic process, he showed up vulnerable, resilient, mature, and wise,” she said.
To help cope with his grief, Daron wrote a book about his mother while participating in TCHATT. His guardian explained the motivation behind this project: “Daron wrote a book about his mother in TCHATT. He has been wanting to tell other children about this experience to help them understand how to handle death when it shows up. Even though it is painful, death is a part of life,” Redmond said.
Redmond also noted the positive impact of therapy on Daron’s outlook: “He learned to focus on memories that he had with his mother, not only the loss of her. Therapy is giving him a new outlook on life, it’s helping him realize that we aren’t always promised tomorrow. Intend on making this a good day, because tomorrow is not promised,” she said.
Mendez highlighted the importance of support systems in recovery: “He also had the support of his loving aunt, and that made all the difference in treatment.” She added that sharing and reflecting within TCHATT helped Daron move forward: “He has clear goals for his life, and I have no doubt that he will meet his aspirations. It was a privilege to work with Daron.”
The TCHATT model aims to remove barriers such as transportation and cost for families seeking mental health care for their children. Sessions typically last five or six meetings but can be extended if needed. Mendez encouraged those facing difficulties at school to reach out: “If someone is struggling, they should seek their school counselor and, additionally, ask if TCHATT services are available on their campus. Everyone faces challenges, and it is ok to ask for help.”
Daron hopes that sharing his story through his book “A Love That Never Leaves” will assist other children experiencing grief. In the book he writes: “I watched as my mom drowned right in front of me. That moment is frozen in my mind forever. It was the day I felt my world crack. It was the day I lost everything.”
With ongoing support from family members and Mendez at UTHealth Houston, Daron continues working toward healing: “At first, the future looked dark. I didn’t want to talk about what happened. I was angry, hurt, and confused. But now, talking helps, writing helps, singing helps. I see a future for myself now – one that’s filled with purpose and joy,” he wrote.
