This is her story as described at Friendly House's May 2000 fund-raising event, "Platinum Spring Celebration."

Irmalinda Cortez told her story at Friendly House's May 2000 fundraising event, Platinum Spring Celebration. The story was so compelling, we wanted to share it with those of you who were not in attendance. Irmalinda Cortez is both humble and self-confident. She has traveled a long and difficult road over the last two years to get where she is today. In 1998, she was homeless, unable to care for her young son and was using her income to buy crystal meth to smoke. Finally, her persistent faith in God and a near death experience caused by drugs woke her to the reality that she needed help.

While trying on a dress in a Portland department store on April 23, 1998, Irmalinda's heart began to race. By the time the paramedics got there, her heart rate had reached 260 beats per minute. She was taken to the hospital and remembers the EMT saying he couldn't get a reading on her blood pressure. She was given an injection to bring her heart rate down and was diagnosed with Wolf's Parkinson's White. She spent the next four days in the hospital. The disease is genetic, but her symptoms were brought on early by her drug habit. She now must take a beta blocker to regulate her heart beat when she is under stress.

Since that day, Irmalinda hasn't looked back. She quit using drugs and immediately moved out of her drug buddy's house. For a time, Irmalinda stayed in a family shelter, having persuaded her mother to let her have her son back on a trial basis. Then the call came that there was room in Friendly House's Transitional Housing program. A small but clean one bedroom apartment was available on 18th and Burnside. Irmalinda, who was now pregnant, and her son, moved in and began working with Case Manager Nick McLain in a program that would change Irmalinda's life and the lives of her two young children. Nick assisted Irmalinda in applying for help through Vocational Rehabilitation. While at Friendly House she also studied hard and obtained her GED. She was able to go to school and have her children's child care paid for. Food from Friendly House's food pantry supplemented what she could buy for herself. Irmalinda also attended an Eating Right class at Friendly House where she learned how to prepare healthy but inexpensive meals for her family. (She confides that she did not know how to cook before taking the class). She was able to save money even while working in a low wage job. She gives Nick half the credit for her success. "Nick was stern, but he was also a friend. His friendliness made it easy to listen to his advice."

Irmalinda now lives in subsidized housing in Northwest Portland, again thanks to Nick's assistance. She goes to church here in the neighborhood and is part of her community. She is working full-time in a job that pays $10.20 an hour. Her credit isn't good, but she's paying off her debts. Her four-year old son, Lorenzo, attends Friendly House preschool three mornings each week. But Irmalinda says she's not done yet. Her goal is to become completely self-sufficient. Says Irmalinda, "I know I've made mistakes. Now I need to help other people. I've been through homelessness and drug addiction. I'm a single mom and a survivor. If it weren't for Friendly House and my faith, I wouldn't be where I am today."