ORLANDO, Fla. – Millie Atwell is always one to make others laugh. She puts them at ease with her jokes and her love of all things Dolly Parton. She finds the country music star an inspiration.
Millie’s laughter and joy are contagious.
But you might wonder why this single mother and grandmother is so happy these days.
To understand her joy, you have to know a little bit about her journey.
Millie Atwell’s story is one of resilience, courage, and a determination to overcome life’s most challenging obstacles. A little more than years ago, Millie faced some of the darkest moments of her life: a heart attack that left her fighting for survival, followed by a battle with homelessness.
But through the support of a caring community and sheer willpower, she now stands as a beacon of hope for others facing similar struggles.
In September 2022, Millie suffered a massive heart attack, with her arteries 95% blocked. The ordeal nearly claimed her life, as she was declared clinically dead four times in one day.
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“I died four times that day,” Millie recalled. “I was on life support for 25 days. They didn’t even know how I survived so long.”
Against all odds, Millie pulled through, waking up after an intense bypass surgery that required replacing an artery in her heart. Just one day later, she was up and walking. Her miraculous recovery shocked even the doctors at Advent Health, who described her survival as nothing short of a miracle.
However, her journey to recovery wasn’t over. Following her heart attack, Millie lost her ability to work. Once a dedicated worker in the hospitality industry at the Orlando Convention Center, she could no longer perform physically demanding jobs, leaving her without a steady income.
No steady income meant she could no longer pay her rent, which left her without a permanent place to call home.
“It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever faced,” Millie said, her voice filled with emotion. “Not knowing where I was going to live, feeling like I disappointed my kids-it was unbearable.”
Millie started crying as she explained how she didn’t want to appear to be a failure to her children.
Millie’s children, who had always seen her as a strong, hardworking mother, watched as she faced unimaginable challenges. She described the pain of feeling like she had let them down, even though the circumstances were beyond her control.
She was especially worried about her youngest daughter who is a freshman in high school. Students without a permanent address face a lot of adversity.
According to the local Central Florida school districts, there are approximately 9,000 elementary, middle, and high school students in Osceola, Orange, and Seminole Counties who are homeless or living in a temporary space like a motel or shelter.
Many families facing homelessness don’t speak up about their situation because they are embarrassed.
Just when things seemed bleakest, Millie found the courage to call 2-1-1, which was her lifeline to Pathways to Home.
Pathways to Home is a local organization dedicated to helping individuals and families experiencing homelessness. They provided Millie with not just shelter, but the tools and support she needed to rebuild her life.
“Pathways to Home didn’t just give me a place to live; they gave me hope,” she shared. “They put great people in my life who pushed me to be my best, who wouldn’t let me give up. They were my angels.”
One of those angels was Theresa Bowles, Millie’s case manager.
“Everybody has a right to have housing, and we primarily work with families who have children,” Bowles explained.
She added, “It’s very stressful for children not to be in a stable school, then having to move them to another school, having to relearn, you know, friends.”
Through Pathways to Home, Millie was able to build back a lot of what she had lost. But her case manager says Millie was determined from the start.
“She’s very resourceful, she’s very resilient and when I think of perseverance, you know, she’s been through a lot. She’s definitely had a hard life from her mental health...and yes it did take a lot of pushing,” Bowles said.
Today, Millie is a living example of the power of pushing, perseverance and community. Her children are thriving, with her oldest daughter planning to open her own hair salon, inspired by her mother’s strength and determination.
Her youngest daughter is excelling in high school. She doesn’t have to worry about starting over a new school thanks to Pathways to Home.
Reflecting on her journey, Millie believes she survived to help others find their own paths to hope and healing.
“I’m here to be the light that I am,” she said. “Even when I don’t see it, I am that light for others. I want to help people realize that no matter how hard life gets, you can always find a way to rise.”
Millie’s story is more than just her own; it’s a message to everyone facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles. “I didn’t die for nothing,” she says with conviction. “I went through all this to be here today and show others that they can make it too. You don’t let life knock you down. You get back up, and you say, ‘If I’ve got people behind me, there’s no way I’m going down.”
For anyone facing homelessness, health crises, or overwhelming adversity, Millie offers this advice: “Don’t be afraid to reach out for help. There are people out there who care, and they can make a world of difference. You don’t have to face this alone.”
Millie’s journey from homelessness to hope serves as a reminder that, with support, perseverance, and faith, there is always a path to a brighter future.
Today, she stands proud, not just as a survivor but as a source of inspiration, showing that even the most daunting obstacles can be overcome when you have the courage to keep going.
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