Casey Knaupp: On the Scene

One of the most delightful and inspirational people I have ever met, Karen Choice, greeted me with a bright smile and warm hug the first time I met her.

Even when she talked about all of the tragedy she went through in her life, including overcoming a drug addiction that nearly killed her and the heartache of losing her 8-year-old son who was kidnapped and murdered, her face beamed as she also explained how she used her experiences to help others.

Karen died unexpectedly Sunday night at age 56 with so many unfinished plans for her nonprofit organization, the C.H.A.D. (Churches Hour Against Darkness) Ministry, she began a decade ago.

Karen's 8-year-old son Chad was kidnapped by a family friend over a drug deal-gone-bad on Oct. 13, 2001, - Karen's birthday. She and her family lived through years of terror, receiving ransom notes and even bones that belonged to her son before the killer was caught.

After her son was abducted, Karen's life spiraled out of control. She lost her business, home, car and hope. There was a time when she wanted to give up, she said during a December 2005 interview at the cozy, white three-bedroom shelter for women and children called Chad's House.

But instead of giving up, she began using that feeling of hopelessness to relate to others in similar positions. Women who had been abused, were addicted to drugs, were in financial crisis or had pretty much any other hardship were welcomed with their children into Chad's House. Karen shared her own experiences and how she had turned her life around or, as she said, had to start her life all over again - proof that it could be done.

Throughout the years, more than 70 families were taken into the shelter - some stayed for one day, others stayed for two years. Many had to sadly be turned away because of the lack of room in the three-bedroom house.

Karen dreamed of building a 14-bedroom shelter and training facility so she wouldn't have to turn families away. She also envisioned helping women rent apartments or buy houses when they were ready to go out on their own.

But because the ministry relies only on donations and grants, which are hard to come by, Karen never saw her hopes come to fruition.

Now, the nonprofit organization is left in the hands of others, including her daughter and members of the Christian Teaching Center church, who plan to continue Karen's legacy.

The continued support of the community will be needed now more than ever.

For those who want to make donations to Mrs. Choice's family or the nonprofit ministry, a fund is being set up at Southside Bank under the name C.H.A.D., A Ministry of Christian Teaching Center, Ms. Cobb said. For more information, call 903-592-8025 or 903-597-8880.



"AWESOME

RESPONSIBILITY"

Karen did more than just house women and their children. She counseled and gave clothes, food and other assistance to people who did not reside there. The ministry also serves as a community assessment center, referring the women to other places, and it includes the Phase 2 Phase resale shop.

Most importantly, Karen's work was about getting their lives back together.

"This is my life. ... This is an awesome responsibility when you're dealing with people's lives," she had said.

"When I see what God has already done with what little we've had to do things with, I know to expect greater things from Him."

I admired Karen's strong faith through all the good and bad times she faced.

The children who have come through the shelter usually end up calling Karen "Momma."

"God has given me many children," said Karen, who had four children of her own, including Chad.

Karen hoped the story of Patrick Horn, who is serving a life sentence for the murder of her son, will be a warning for children. The pull of drugs and the desire to become a big-time drug dealer led him to murder Chad, even though he was thought to be a family friend.

Too often today, drugs appear glamorous in Hollywood, but she saw the real-life ugliness when drugs taook over. Sitting in a Longview park one day, Karen overdosed - she believed it was an intervention from God that led her to sobriety. Thinking how she could have died in that park and left that kind of legacy for her children scared her.

Instead, Karen inspired everyone that met her and left a far more glamorous legacy for all of her children.

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