Against all odds

Polly Ruppe kisses her son Ryan Parker Jr. Ruppe, who has lost her father, mother and stepfather, been a mother at 16 and overcome homelessness - all while still attending high school - will celebrate her first prom this weekend with longtime boyfriend Ryan Parker. Making it to prom can seem like a tough job for a lot of couples. But for Gaffney's Polly Ruppe and Ryan Parker, the obstacles seemed almost insurmountable.

"In the past 15 months, Polly has lost her mother, her stepfather and become a mom herself," said Brenda Clary, who works with the Cherokee County Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and is a close friend to Ruppe. "She's a 17-year-old mom with no parents, but she works a part-time job at Cinn-a-bon, still attends school at the Cherokee County Alternative School and has managed to stay off drugs and alcohol. I don't know how she's done it. She's succeeded against all odds."

While the tragedies she's faced make Ruppe's story one of triumph, the timing of the events makes them hit even harder.

"My real dad passed away in 2004 at the Harbor of Hope shelter," Ruppe said. "Then, in 2005, my stepdad was shot to death and my mom was charged with the murder. But it never went to court. On March 12, 2005, our baby Ryan Parker Jr. was born. My mom's trial was set to begin on March 14, but on March 13 she committed suicide."

It was during those three days that Polly made the decision she and Brenda credit with turning her life around.

"Polly came to me before the funeral and said, 'Do I have to go?'" Clary recalled. "I told her she should and that I would watch the baby for her. I'll never forget that she told me 'Everyone's going to be crying and all be sad. But I'm not sad. I just had a baby and I'm going to be happy about that.' It was one beautiful thing about such a tough time."

Polly soon found herself homeless and moved in with Ryan and his father.

"Ryan's mom died in 2003," Polly said. "So, I've lived with him and his dad since my mom's funeral. He's been an incredible boyfriend and father. When I first met him, I thought he was just another guy. But he's been so much more than that, and he's got a good head on his shoulders. People ask me how I've handled all this and not ended up hooked on drugs or dropped out of school. And I always tell them it's because of my baby and Ryan. I love my baby so much and Ryan always supports me."

For Polly, the festivities Friday night will be more of a celebration for Ryan.

"This is his prom," she said. "It's his senior prom at Gaffney High, because he's graduating in June. I'm so proud of him. If it weren't for his love and our baby, I don't know what would have happened to me. I'd probably be strung out on drugs, living on the street, or I might even be dead. Instead, I'm picking out prom dresses and looking at tuxedos. It's been a tough road, but I knew we could make it, together."