Stephanie is anxious to learn and lets Dayzee guide the way to The Union Rescue Mission and give her the grand tour. Pam drops in to see Stephanie and is shocked when Brooke tells her that Stephanie's mind was made up and she slipped away. Today her action speaks louder than words and she has a purpose in life now. It will keep her living for a very long time. She calls and tells Stephanie that she is worried about her. Stephanie says there is something she has to do and she is not ready to come home yet. Brooke tells Pam to stay by the phone and she will go and encourage Stephanie to come home. Stephanie sits and speaks with many residents in the mission, then dons her apron, plastic gloves and hairnet and helps serve in the food line. Brooke comes to retrieve her, but Stephanie has important work to do and will not get out of the line. The next thing she knows, Stephanie looks down the line and sees Brooke helping too. She gives her the thumbs up.
Susan Flannery: Welcome to our second of two special episodes of "The Bold and the Beautiful." Today we are visiting at the Union Rescue Mission in downtown Los Angeles. The people interviewed are not actors, but rather guests of this extraordinary home for those in need. Dayzee: Well, you got quite an earful today. Stephanie: I certainly did. Dayzee: This is the world's greatest recovery center. I'm telling you. Stephanie: You know what's so amazing? The resiliency of the human spirit. Dayzee: Mm-hmm. Yeah. You thought I was crazy for wanting to work here. And you thought I was on crack. Stephanie: Well, shame on me. I shouldn't have jumped to such a conclusion. Dayzee: That's fine. This is home and work. Stephanie: So what's your official title? Apprentice? Dayzee: Basically. Come on in. They're waiting for you. Stephanie: Okay. [SCENE_BREAK] Pam: Hello? Where's Steph? Is she in the bathroom? Brooke: Oh, uh, she's not here. Pam: She's not back at the hospital, is she? Brooke: No, downtown. Pam: What? Brooke: With Dayzee. Pam: (Scoffs) You're--you're joking, right? Brooke: I wish I were. Pam: Brooke, she just got out of the hospital. Brooke: I know. Pam: Well, how could you let her leave the house? Brooke: When your sister gets an idea in her head, there's no changing it. You should know that better than anybody. Pam: (Sighs) Jeez Louise. Brooke: Anyway, she slipped out without any of us knowing. Pam: She just had part of her lung removed. Brooke: Yes, I understand that. But she is determined to help the homeless and the needy. She's trying to figure out the best way to do that. Pam: Is she down at that mission where Dayzee's an apprentice? Brooke: Mm-hmm. It's the new phase of homelessness. A lot of families never expected to be out on the streets the way they are. But it's because of the economy, the way it is today, and the foreclosures, higher unemployment. Pam: Those missions can use all the help that they can get. [SCENE_BREAK] Dayzee: Kitty, this is Mrs. Forrester. Stephanie: Please call me Stephanie. Kitty: Welcome. I'd like to give you a tour of our facility. Stephanie: Well, if you have the time, I-I certainly would like to see everything that you can show me. Kitty: Well, and I'll let our star apprentice lead the way. (Chuckles) Dayzee: All right, follow me. Stephanie: Did you pay her to say that? Dayzee: No. [SCENE_BREAK] Pam: So Dayzee's giving her a grand tour of the place? Brooke: The mission is very close to Dayzee's heart. It gave her and her mom food and shelter during those really tough times. And then when her mom passed away, Dayzee didn't forget the kindness that they showed. She wanted to become an apprentice for the mission and give back to people who are in need. It's become her life's work and her life's dream. Pam: (Laughs) If you ask me, Dayzee could be anything she wants-- our next president. Brooke: Mm, possibly. She doesn't have many material things, but she is rich beyond words. You know how hard I tried to convince Stephanie to get treatment for her cancer... Pam: (Scoffs) Brooke: And I couldn't do it. Well, with Dayzee, it took really hardly any effort at all, and she convinced her. I mean, she's really an amazing kid. Pam: Yeah. I guess, uh, actions speak louder than words. Brooke: Mm-hmm. And today, Stephanie is taking action, determining where to focus her attention for years to come. Pam: You just said "Years." Brooke: (Laughs) Pam: I like the sound of that. Brooke: (Chuckles) She has a purpose in life now. And that's going to keep her living for a very long time. [SCENE_BREAK] Stephanie: Anthony? Hi. Anthony: How you doin'? Nice to meet you. Stephanie: Nice to meet you. How long have you been here? Anthony: Uh, two and a half years. Stephanie: I understand that you served in Iraq. Anthony: Yes, Ma'am. I joined the military at 17, and served my country, and I loved every minute of it, and when I was, uh, injured, that devastated me, and I didn't know what to do. Uh, I couldn't go home. I couldn't face my family and friends. And I ended up on the streets. Stephanie: Why couldn't you go home? Anthony: Shame. My whole life, I really never quite finished anything, and, um, you know, here was something that I wanted to spend the rest of my life doin', and, uh, I couldn't even do that, you know? I know my injury wasn't my fault, but at the time, you know, I-I didn't want to-- I didn't know how to go home. I ended up on the streets, uh, using drugs and alcohol, and it just got worse, and drugs was an easy way for me to forget about what happened, you know? I'm just now gettin' back on my feet. So I'm studying to be, uh, criminal justice. Stephanie: Oh, great. Anthony: So I want to, um, take everything that I've done, you know, the good and the bad, and--and just use it to maybe help one young kid out there not make the same mistakes I did. Stephanie: That's to be admired. Anthony: (Chuckles) Stephanie: You're a brave, strong young man. Anthony: Thank you. [SCENE_BREAK] Brooke: It's ringing. Pam: We need to get her back, Brooke. Brooke: (Sighs) Stephanie, can you hear me? Stephanie: I'm here. Brooke: So how's it going? Stephanie: It's just extraordinary here. I mean, some of these people and what they've been through-- it's--it's just astounding. Brooke: I'm sure it is. But I'm here with Pam, and we're worried about you. You need to get back in bed. Stephanie: No, no. Brooke: Stephanie, you're not well. You really should be in bed. Stephanie: No, I'm not ready to leave. There's--there's something I feel important that I have to do, and, you know, who knows how long I have? Brooke: Okay, I-I understand that. I really do. It's just, I'm worried about you. Stephanie: I'm where I need to be right now. Brooke: Okay. (Sighs) Just be careful. Stephanie: I will. Pam: What? She's not gonna stay down there. Brooke: She feels she's where she needs to be right now. Pam: Brooke, no. Brooke: I know. I-I just don't know what else to do. Pam: Well, you just have to g-go back there and get her. She--she needs to be home, Brooke. She just had a huge chunk of her lung removed. Look, I'll go get her. Just tell me where she is. Brooke: No. No. Okay. You stay here. Just--you're here in case she calls, all right? I will go down there, and I will bring your sister home. I promise. Pam: (Sighs) [SCENE_BREAK] Kitty: I'd like you to meet the Reyes family. Hi, everybody. Man: Hello, hello. Kitty: This is Stephanie Forrester. Stephanie: Hi. Man: Hello, Stephanie. Stephanie: Hi. May I join you? Is it all right if I sit here? Man: Please do. Please sit down. Stephanie: Okay. Stephanie: How did you come to be here? Man: I was working for a pretty large, uh, grocery chain and, uh, it's just-- the store wasn't making its numbers. I was an operations manager, uh, there. Stephanie: Mm-hmm. Man: I've been in retail for about 20 years, so I've been doing this type of thing, you know, successfully quite a bit, and they just couldn't afford the middle management. They took us-- they--they let everybody go. Stephanie: Wow. Man: I couldn't find anything, and, uh, we--we were bouncing around from hotel to hotel for about, uh, four to five weeks. Stephanie: Mm. Man: I-it was just so tough bouncing around every place until we came to, uh, the mission here. Stephanie: Do you feel as though there's a chance with the economy that you're gonna get a job, or are you decided to do retraining, or-- Man: (Clears throat) You know what? I-I've looked at everything. But it's just so many people are in line for the retraining. Stephanie: Mm-hmm. Man: So, you know, each time you get in line for something, there's a massive amount of people before you. Stephanie: Yeah. Man: I've posted probably, in the past, uh, two years, a thousand résumés. Stephanie: Oh, my Lord. Man: I've got some call backs, but it's not nothing that can take care of my family. It's definitely-- definitely a struggle, but I see some light at the end of the tunnel, you know? Some good things re comin' our way soon, so we're really bein' positive about it, and, uh, it-- it will change soon. Hey! You're gonna wash the deck. Stephanie: Do you take care of other kids, too, for the moms? I mean, do you sort of all trade off and help one another? Woman: We're kind of a big support with each other. We're all leaning on each other. Single moms--it's hard. Stephanie: Mm-hmm. Woman: Especially when you're so used to having that other person with you all the time. Stephanie: Right. Woman: And when that person's removed from the situation, you--you tend to reach out more, and so as moms, we link together, especially with parenting. Stephanie: Yeah. Woman: And you see another mom struggling with their child-- it's, "Oh, here, my kids are cool, so I'm gonna go and scoop them up and give that mom a break," and so... Stephanie: Right. Woman: It's really nice to have that. Stephanie: How are the kids handling it? Woman: They're very angry. My--my 10 year old, she grew up in the same home. She had the same bedroom for a very long time and had to give it all up, and now she's--I can tell when she talks to me, it's different. And I know she's mad, and in some ways, she has every right to be mad, because I should have fought harder, and I couldn't, and I could've protected her, and I didn't. (Speaking indistinctly) And so I had to be a forceful mom. And it's not fair. No kids should ever have to be homeless... Stephanie: You know, I-I-I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like to uproot your children from their home. It just must be so difficult, so... I feel it. Man: I passed by here all the time. It never occurred to me that I would be put in this same situation. And I always thought being homeless, that it was actually you're on the street, you don't have anything. But the mission here, they provide every single thing that a person would need-- food, clothing, you get to wash your clothes, take a shower, everything. Stephanie: But it also must be very comforting to you that you have all three of the kids with you. Man: Oh, yeah, it was. It was. Baby: (Babbles) Stephanie: Yeah. Man: Yeah. Stephanie: And they were able to keep the family together. Man: Right. Stephanie: Yeah. Dayzee: Hi. Man: Hi. Dayzee: Stephanie, these are the Goodes. Man: Stephanie, a big fan. Stephanie: Oh, how nice to meet you. You guys are okay if I sit here? Woman: Yes, go ahead. Man: Yes, unless you want this chair. Stephanie: Oh, great. Thanks. Woman: We've been homeless since December last year, yes. Stephanie: Since December. When you lost your job. Man: Yes. Stephanie: But I mean, before that, this is not something you've ever experienced before? Man: No, no. Stephanie: So it's a pretty, uh, extraordinary moment in your life when you find out... Man: Yes. Yes. Stephanie: That you don't have a permanent place to call your own. Man: Yes. Yeah. Yeah. You understand really, uh, how much, uh, four walls and, you know, stuff really mean to you. Woman: What you used to take for granted, you don't take for granted anymore. Man: Yeah, yeah, stuff you take for granted. You really find out it's not only the poor people that's living paycheck to paycheck, but you have a bunch of rich people also that's paycheck to paycheck. Stephanie: A lot of people in the middle class, yeah. So it's--this--this is a very devastating situation. Man: Mm-hmm. Woman: It brings you closer together. It makes you rely on each other a lot more. Stephanie: Tough times usually do, yeah. Man: Yeah, makes you really rely--yeah. Woman: It's be--it's good when you have someone you can rely on, though. It can either break you or make you. Stephanie: Hi. Woman: Hi. Stephanie: How are you? Woman: I'm blessed. How are you? Stephanie: I'm Stephanie. Woman: I'm Miss Jones, Carolyn Jones. It's very nice to meet you. Stephanie: How do you do? May I call you Carolyn? Carolyn: Yes, Ma'am. I'm blessed. Stephanie: Oh, good. I'm so happy to hear that. Carolyn: Yes, I'm blessed every day. Stephanie: How long have you been here? Carolyn: After a year and four months, I moved out... Stephanie: Mm-hmm. Carolyn: Got my own 4-bedroom, and I became an apprentice. Stephanie: Wow, well, that's fantastic. Carolyn: And now I'm a single mother. Stephanie: That's hard. Carolyn: I'm raisin' my three boys by myself. My oldest one is trying to get to play pro basketball and get a scholarship. Stephanie: Oh. Mm-hmm. Carolyn: My 7-year-old wants to be a doctor so he can take care of mom. Stephanie: I think that's wonderful. Carolyn: And my 9-year-old wants to be a policeman. Stephanie: Oh, that's quite a range--pro basketball player all the way down to policeman and doctor. Carolyn: (Chuckles) Yes, and it's all my 7 year old talks about. That's the only thing he want to be. "I want to be a doctor so I can take care of my mom." Stephanie: That's sensational. Carolyn: Yes, it is. I'm a proud mother. Stephanie: Thank you so much for talking to me, Carolyn. Carolyn: You are very welcome. Y'all have a blessed day. Choir: Got a story to tell you about some things that I've been through but I'm healed oh, I'm healed had some ups and some downs level to the ground but I'm healed oh, I'm healed had to wrestle all night long wondering what went wrong but I'm healed oh, I'm healed had some sunshine and some rain heartache and some... [SCENE_BREAK] (Elevator bell dings) Man: Hi, can I help you? Brooke: Oh, yes. I am looking for somebody. Her name is Stephanie Forrester. Man: I know who you're talking about. Brooke: Okay. Man: Why don't you come over here and follow me? Choir: He set my soul free my heart is mended I'm home again no chains are holding me got my liberty I am healed I am healed. (Playing Bill Withers' "Lean on Me") Choir: Sometimes in our lives we all have pain we all have sorrow but if we are wise we know that there's always tomorrow lean on me when you're not strong and I'll be your friend I'll help you carry on for it won't be long till I'm gonna need somebody to lean on so just call on me, Brother. [Stephanie remembering] Stephanie: This is gonna be great. Yeah! Brooke: Aah! Stephanie: My scarf! My scarf! Oh, my God. Dayzee: You take what you're given, and you make the most of it. Stephanie: And if you can't bear what you're given? Dayzee: Then, Mama, you need to get a new set of glasses. [SCENE_BREAK] Choir: Oh, please swallow your pride if I have things you need to borrow or for no one can feel those of your needs that you won't let show so just call on me, brother if you need a hand we all need somebody to lean on I just might have a problem that you'll understand we all need somebody to lean on lean on me when you're not strong and I'll be your friend I'll help you carry on for it won't be long till I'm gonna need somebody to lean on just lean on me yeah, lean on me when you need a friend, yeah, yeah, lean on me you can lean on me yeah, yeah lean on me yeah lean on me.