BALTIMORE — As WMAR-2 News prepares for its annual Fill the House campaign, we’re reminded that behind every donation is a story of courage and survival.

For Erika Whitney Young, that support meant everything.

“It was a very turbulent time,” Erika said. “I was in a very unsafe, violent marriage.”

For years, Erika lived in a shadow of abuse. House of Ruth and WMAR's annual Fill the House Campaign Preview

"I left 7, 8 times. So each time it was getting worse and each time it took something smaller for me to realize that hey, I can't live like this," she said.

She says she became physically allergic to a place that should have brought her peace.

“One day I just pulled into the parking lot and felt physically sick. I was losing hair, losing weight,” Erika said.

According to the Nationa

See Full Page