Runaways Reveal Why They Left Home And How Their Lives Have Turned Out

Many people end up without a caring family and in an unsafe home, and are forced to leave to find a better situation. Although it's a rough road, the intention of living a better life usually yields results. In fact, many people are much happier off without the heavy baggage that was holding them down.

SpiritedBet2 asks:

People who ran way from home and never came back, where did you go and how's life now?

Some people need an uprooting to make things better

I'm on the other side of the globe. I backpacked for a bit but already had a job lined up. It wasn't the first time my parents stopped speaking to me, but I have no plans to return to my home country. Life's much nicer without them.

Sometimes the scars never leave

My cousin was kicked out/ ran away at 16. He lived in the woods for a couple of weeks doing the odd day jobs for food. My other uncle took him in as soon as the family realized he'd been kicked out. No one knew cause we all lived a good bit a way from him :/ he's doing good now. Owns a business and has a son. But it had an effect on his mental state unfortunately

There are so many willing people to help

I ran away just after I turned fifteen. I had been living with my dad, who's a narcissistic alcoholic. My mom didn't really want me to live with her. She lived a few states away.

Several extremely generous families took me in over the next three years until I finished high school. I had to change houses every now and then because my dad would threaten to sue whomever I was staying with. One man in particular was like a father to me and helped rehabilitate me (living alone with my dad my whole life had caused psychological issues and misconceptions about family, love, etc.).

I was able to maintain my grades and matriculated at a prestigious university. I ended up becoming a software engineer. I love my life now, and few people know about my backstory. I have no contact with my dad.

Life can take you in all sorts of unexpected directions

I started by traveling to India in the 70's, I am now in Amsterdam, married with a son. its been quite a ride.

Sometimes we are matched with the wrong parents

I left in the middle of the night at 19. So legally an adult, but emotionally I was really several years younger, in large part because of untreated mental health issues. I left for a few reasons. Pregnant and afraid to tell my parents, serious friction in general with my immediate family, and just kind of generally not at my most stable. I went to a friends house, and lived with them and their family to get it together.

I'm 33 years old now, have a 13 year old kid (14 in a few months), and am generally in a much better place. I got the psychiatric help I really badly needed, and got myself together. I get along much better with my parents now as well. I love them, but we really are just not the best people to live in the same household.

There is always hope

I ran away from an abusive foster home at 16. Ended up moving in with a family from my church and getting adopted by them. I'm 28 now and hold a bachelor's, I'm currently pursuing a Master's. I still struggle with emotional trauma but everything gets better with time.

A caring family is the best support system

After years of normalising being mentally abused by my mother who suffers from borderline personality disorder, my girlfriend made me realize it was the complete opposite of normal, I couldn't take it anymore and it was having a hugely negative impact on my own mental health so one day while she was out I moved all my stuff into my girlfriends house and haven't spoken to my mum since. Things are a lot better and I finally realise what it means to have a family that actually cares for me.

Sometimes you have to forge your own path

I ran away when I was 17, I was working two jobs and had been saving up a lot of money. I'm almost 20 now, going to college this fall semester to start a business degree and life is actually really good. I moved provinces, I work in a really good position in a restaurant which pays the bills and allows me to save. I have a newish car, a great boyfriend and couldn't be happier. Growing up I never knew people's lives were normally this happy.. it's like a breath of fresh air every morning I wake up.

Complete 180

Due to various causes, I came to be living with a very bad family member when I was a child. Unbeknownst to me or any of the nicer family, he was a drug dealer. You can put the pieces together - I did not have a fairytale childhood, obviously.

I allowed him and his buddies to think I was completely broken, biding my time. Then when I was older, I snuck out one night and hitched a ride with a kind trucker and he drove me halfway across the country where I reached out to my dad, who I had been estranged from (my mother had demonized him, none of it had been true).

I got myself into therapy, and after a while, applied for college, and now I'm going to be graduating with a computer science degree next May. I'm happier than I've ever been, and my dad and I are extremely close. :)

From homeless to sous chef

Stayed in my car for a few months. Then all over. Several states and jobs.

Now I live in Seattle and I'm sous chef at a pretty decent little French place.

Everything can mend in the end

Three of my mom's cousins ran away from my great aunt and uncle on their 16th birthdays. They each hitchhiked to Florida. My great aunt and uncle eventually moved to Florida and now they have great relationships with their kids.

Sometimes the grudge never goes away

Well, I left at 15. Lived with a friend and his family for about 6 months. They then moved away, and I moved into a seedy motel. While going to high school, and working 39.5 hours a week (so I wasn't full time).

I finished high School and moved to the city. I worked while applying to the army.

Joined the army at 17 by signing a declaration that I couldn't contact parents. Was in 3 years. ..

Life has been good. You know it's got its fair share of challenges but so does everyone . Never talked to the family again, though my father tried contacting me about a month before he died. I accepted a facebook request, though refused to call him or see him in the hospital the day he died.

A true success story

I left home at 14. My parents (who are devorced and both re married) are drug addicts. I spent the previous few years moving back and forth between my mom and dad. When I have had enough of watching one set (parent and step parent) strung out like a zombie I would move to the others.

When I left my uncle took me in until I turned 16. After that I crashed on family/ friends couches. I moved into my own place (roommate) at 18.

My dad and stepmom died a few years back. Not at the same time but a few months apart. My mom and stepdad are still around I talk to them maybe once a month. They only call if they need a ride because I won't give them money. It sucks to say but the wrong parent died.

I got married at 20 and I am an electrician. I have three kids and am still happily married.

You have to do what feels right

Ran out of the house at 17 and never went back. Best decision of my life and I'm happy with how things turned out.

Grandparents to the rescue

I was 7 when I left my mothers and never came back. Actually she kicked me out but thank god I knew the way to my grandparents house.

She was an extremely abusive alcoholic who was also a prostitute. I would get beaten for anything, like she lost the battery to her mobile phone and gave me 30 seconds to find it once, I didn't and went to school with a black eye. The school believed her when she said I fell off my bike. One night for one eventful beating I screamed too loud and the neighbours called the police, they came and asked me in private what happened. I told them I'd been naughty and was screaming because I wanted something, in reality I'd not done anything and she told me if I told the police the truth she would kill me. She chased me with a knife once, didn't feed me for days on end and the only food I'd get was my school lunches, she spent all of my birthday money on alcohol, sold my PlayStation, had several relationships with men who I believe tried to help her and me, but she refused and eventually there was men coming and going from the house. It took me until high school to find out she was a prostitute as everyone in town knew.

I wasn't a social kid, had trouble interacting with people and couldn't sleep alone or wet the bed for a few years after.

Looking back, being 7 and walking the mile to my grandparents house seemed like an eternity, but they saved my life and I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for them.

The detachment is real

I left home for good at 14. I went back a couple times and went delayed enlistment at 16. Went in military at 17. I have not returned "home"since. Traveled the world for 12 years worked all over the country. Have 5 kids and a dozen grandkids. Big family. Have anxiety sometimes about it, like going home to a place that doesnt exist. I could get on a plane and return tomorrow, but its gone. Everyone is dead or gone , there is nothing there from where i left, except in my head.

There are a lot of tough decisions involved

My grandpa ran away from home when he was 15.

His dad was rich opium smoking junkie. If my grandpa stayed in that environment, he would have ended up a junkie too. He always felt guilty about leaving his 7 year old brother, never found him while he was alive, but my uncle and my dad tracked him down 50 years later.

Anyone can turn into family

I initially subleased an apartment from an older friend, right across the street from where I worked. A few months later, I moved to college a hundred miles away. I had an academic scholarship that covered my tuition, but I lived off-campus and had to work two jobs to pay the bills. But I graduated and moved even further away. Life's pretty good now; it's been over a decade since I ran away. I'm happily married and we have a kid and a dog. Not in contact with my family of origin, though. They have my phone number, address, and email, and I've seen them a handful of times over the years, but it's been radio silence for the past five years. Pretty sure they want nothing to do with me. Oh well, I have wonderful in-laws so I'm not missing anything.

The strength and will power it takes is underrated

I left, moved myself 3 hours across state, lived in my car for 3 months while working a crappy job. Got an apartment finally, then a better job. Doing just fine now. 10/10 would do again.