As many know, Dwayne Chenevert, our residential manager at DreamCatcher, fell sick at his home and was taken to the hospital, where he passed. The shock for everyone has been profound. We, at DreamCatcher are all deeply heartbroken and saddened by this loss.

Dwayne was one of the founders of DreamCatcher. He functioned as the manager long before the title. He was deeply humble in the work and often the extraordinary wisdom, courage and profound commitment to each youth was quiet and unseen by many.

I do not remember a time when he did not surprise me with his insight and wisdom regarding a youth. He would see them in ways that many others missed, and he would engage them in ways that would never occur to many. There are stories to be told.

Over the years I have met and read notes by many former alumni of our program thanking Dwayne and DreamCatcher for saving their life. Those that returned to say something were only the tip representing 100s more who could have said the same. That DreamCatcher and Dwayne, often thought of as synonymous, saved their life.

Every time, I have ever been in a room where the attendees were asked, Why do you do this work? Dwayne would say, "I dont have any choice." He would go on to say, "This is a calling." That is the way I have always felt and we shared that at such a soul level that there are no real words to even begin to describe it.

Recently in a room where the group was doing appreciations of one another, I said about Dwayne, He is my work soulmate; and I knew that within days of meeting him. When Dwayne and I met in one of our first talks in my new role as his Director, I told him a story and then said. This is how I hold the work. What I know to be true is that my job is to stand as a steel rod for the youth, immovable in my conviction in their wholeness and the infinite possibility for their lives. He said Yes exactly, me too. In that moment the bond was forged and in adversity and there has been a bunch, it became indescribably deep and strong.

Being a steel rod of conviction for the youth is what he did for the last 23 years. He didnt just hold that for youth, but for staff, something I suspect few saw or realized. His capacity for compassion and acceptance was amazing to me. He was so often a warrior in a battle not of his choosing and still stood steady, unwavering in his certainty that this work was where he was to be. I think that belief was built on his deep faith and a spirituality that we also shared.

We all pay a price for the great privilege of doing this work, serving in this way. There were times when I thought, and told him, I thought the price asked of him was too high. He would just shake his head and teach me deeper lessons in acceptance.

We are deeply saddened and know many others at Covenant House loved him also. Some are the very youth for whom he was the steel rod.

We at DreamCatcher will honor him by continuing to hold' the truths he held of the greatness of our youth, and sacred value of our work.

During the last three days, I have so often seen him shaking his head and smiling and telling me something grounding and solid that healed my heart as he did so many times for me and so many.

*DreamCatcher is a program of Covenant House California. All donations made to this page will be designated to this program.