Avah's Story

About A Vision At Hope

A Message of Hope

We love you Avah. May your light shine on all children in similar situations, and may we save them from the pain that you endured.

A Vision at Hope (AVAH) was created to drive change and help children in similar circumstances. We plan to draw greater attention to mental health for our youth, develop programs at schools to address kids left in the shadows, and identify when kids are in despair. Our mental healthcare system needs reform, and those responsible for our kids’ health must be held accountable.

Isaac McClellan

President, Founder & CEO, Avah’s Father

Avah's Early Life

Avah was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on October 23, 2006. She lived full-time with her mother on the East Coast and visited her dad in California during the summers and school breaks. Avah was like many young girls, full of life, laughter, love and excitement. She loved dressing up, had a lot of sass, and quickly became a lover of all animals. Energetic and fond of dancing, she adored music and cherished her family, especially her younger cousins and grandma. Avah was daddy’s little girl and loved her visits with her dad and his family, particularly the trips to the family cabin in Bucks Lake, CA. Avah loved water and water sports. Avah brought a positive energy to any room, lighting it up with her spunk and vibrant life.

Teenager Years

In her early teens, Avah got involved in activities like dance and basketball but never fully embraced any particular sport. Her focus shifted to animals, and she took every opportunity to help them, constantly lobbying her mom and dad to bring more animals into their homes. She had dogs, cats, hamsters, fish, lizards, and a few other animals growing up. One of her favorite activities was catching lizards with her cousins Devon, Grant, and Kate and making homes for them in crates. She found a lizard with one leg missing and another with just one eye, showing them extra attention and care. Avah was always trying to help the less fortunate. At school, she would stick up for kids being bullied. She also loved horses and took horse lessons while visiting her dad in the summers.

Despite having so much love in her heart, Avah faced many challenges growing up. The separation of her parents and the distance between her two homes were challenging. When she visited her dad and his family in California, she experienced love, acceptance, and encouragement, but she still didn’t feel she had a home base. She started developing bad habits to fill the void but always kept her goals in mind. Avah knew she wanted to go to college in California and was leaning towards becoming a veterinarian. She was motivated to get a job and worked two summers as a receptionist at a beauty salon, where the owner often praised her hard work.

Avah's Struggles

Sadly, despite her many positive qualities, Avah didn’t always believe in herself. She sought validation and wanted to feel the love she deserved – and didn’t always recognize how deeply she was loved by her family.

When Avah was 12, her school discovered she was cutting herself, and her mom put her in counseling. Despite these efforts, nothing seemed to help. Over the next four years, Avah attempted to take her life several times. She was in and out of mental hospitals and got involved with the wrong crowd. She developed a pattern of needing validation from men, leading her down a dangerous path.

Eventually, Avah came to live with her father full time in California in June 2023. Her dad told her it was a new beginning, focusing on graduating high school, getting a job, and focusing going to college. Avah started her junior year at River City High School in West Sacramento, a challenging situation for any teenager. Despite the challenges, she got straight A’s in her first two quarters and was actively looking for a job. She talked about her goals and was motivated to graduate early.

Unfortunately, Avah never created friendships at her new high school and did not get involved in sports or clubs. Her lack of friends and normal high school life led Avah into troubled relationships with older men – who ultimately used her. The constant struggles and unhealthy relationships ultimately led to Avah taking her life.

Avah’s dad was out of town when he received a call from her grandma that Avah was missing. He rushed home and found a suicide note on her bed and discovered that Avah had driven away. She later called him, saying she no longer wanted to hurt herself after surviving a car crash. Avah was taken to a hospital and then transferred to a mental hospital, where she tragically ended her life. The hospital admitted to failing Avah, as the night nurses did not do their rounds and falsified records. Avah potentially hung herself for up to three hours before being discovered.

In this tragedy Avah’s family is seeking change. While it is incredibly difficult, Avah’s wonderful spirit and kind heart will endure. Avah is now in heaven, and her sacrifice will help save others.