Strait from the Heart

By Robert Proctor

The Cuero Record

Over three years after the tragic passing of Cuero’s D’Metra Strait, her memory still lives strong through the work of her mother, Andrea Strait. Last year marked the first Domestic Violence Awareness 5K Run/Walk, named “Strait from the Heart.”

This local 5K was able to raise over $5,000 last year for Mid-Coast Family Services/Women’s Crisis Center in Victoria and six scholarships for Cuero High School graduating seniors. This year, they have higher goals and are adding CAMAL House (Cuero Area Ministerial Alliance) to their list of support groups, but the focus remains on letting people know there is help available.

“I’m very happy that we’re able to do it, and it means a lot to have another year just trying to get the information out about domestic violence,” Andrea Strait said. Andrea recalls being asked a question about how this could happen to her family.

She made it very clear that domestic violence can effect anyone.

“Socio-economics doesn’t matter,” Andrea said. “It doesn’t matter where you were raised, how you were raised. It can happen in anybody’s home.”

“That’s the struggle that I don’t think people actually realize is that it can happen,” Andrea continued.

“It may be happening right now, and you may not even be aware of it. I will tell you that we weren’t aware of it with D’Metra. She hid it. She thought that she was protecting us.”

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