Angel Stories

Thoughts from Angels

"Crack of Dawn" by Calais Weber

As dark turns to light,
and night turns to day,
it is always darkest
before the morning rays.

And from the fog,
arises an angel.
A once-broken, now whole
savior from that moor.

Upon its arrival,
the angel cracks the sky.
And for those in the dark,
they may now fly high.

High above the dark
and above the sorrow,
now the former lost
may gaze into tomorrow.

Email From Crystal, age 18. Dated August 12, 2008

Hey there, so how are you? I'm good. I just had to email you to tell you something funny.

I went and took my senior pictures on Friday... and I thought was looking GOOOD lol. After my picture was taken we got to see the pictures before they saved them and I was happy with all mine. The lady who was taking my pictures told me she was going to do some retouching and they would be sent to me within 2 weeks. Well I went to walk off and go back to work and she stopped me and she told me she didn't know if it was mean or not but she said "I'm going to erase all your scars on your face and arms so when you get your pictures you will look even better". All I could do was laugh ... she looked at me like I was dumb but I thought it was sort of funny and I told her, "Please do not erase or retouch the scarring. My scars make me who i am and erasing them out of the picture would make me look so fake. i like the way they are and i dont feel i need them to change for anyone..."

The lady hugged me and told me she really loved all my confidence with myself and that she was surprised that I didnt want my scars removed from the picture. She said most girls freak over a pimple...lol

My grandma told me she was very proud of me for stepping up like that and for wanting to be myself.

I just wanted to share that with you. I have come so far, Lesia.

love you lots,
Crystal

Copy of a paper written by a girl who participated at the August 2007 Angel Faces Retreat

My Inspiring Angel

Inspire means to influence or guide by divine or supernatural power. Lesia Cartelli inspires my life to keep moving forward and follow my dreams. She exhibits spirituality through her love. Lesia founded and supports Angel Faces. She gives back to the community, the lessons that she learned from. Knowing Lesia Cartelli and having her in my life has changed me forever.

Lesia exhibits spirituality. God guides her through everyday life. She prays faithfully and receives strength. Lesia lives her life following God's commandments. She follows the Golden Rule on a daily basis. Lesia believes God put her here for a reason. She teaches me to look to God for help and reach out to him. Her spirituality inspires me to have a stronger relationship with God.

Lesia Cartelli founded, organizes, and manages Angel Faces Retreat. A gas explosion in her home severely burned her as a child. Lesia had to endure a lot of pain and suffering without a support group. She designed Angel Faces Retreat to help teenage girls from all around the world that have facial deformities for whatever reasons. Young girls learn how to deal with the staring and low self esteem associated with having facial burns or deformities. I admire Lesia so much for helping me accept myself and live with my burns confidently. I can walk into a mall or restaurant and feel good about myself, even though I know people are staring. Angel Faces has truly changed my life and others, thanks to Lesia Cartelli.

Giving back to the community what you have learned portrays a big part of the life Lesia leads. She spends the majority of her time helping those in need. She counsels young teenage girls to accept themselves, and attain their goals in life. Lesia travels to different places speaking about her injuries. Gas companies can get more educated about how faulty equipment can destroy lives. She organizes and participates in all of the fundraising for Angel Faces. The money pays for air flight, transportation, food, and all expenses for the retreat. Lesia devotes her life to Angel Faces to help better the lives of those in need.

Lesia Cartelli has changed my life in ways I will never forget. She inspires people to strengthen their relationship with God. Angel Faces Retreat has helped so many girls to lead happy, normal lives. Community service consumes most of her life. Lesia Cartelli influenced me to take control of my life and face my future as a strong, loving, confident young lady.

When she told us about this assignment (above) everyone said they were going to do their mom. I would have loved to do her and i was going to but, I though of you first becuase my mom couldn't have done what you did for me. She didn't know what all to tell me she would try though. But Leisa you have changed my life in the BEST way ever possible. You are truley my hero you make me want to help others who are close to me. Just today i left school early during study hall to go to a volunteer meeting and I have signed up to be a volunteer at Parkland. I will be helping the burns. I can't wait to start I have to wear a uniform and everything soo i am very excited you make me want to give back even more than i already want to. I think you have shown me i can do so many things with my life i just have to control it. No one else can control it but me if people don't like it, well their approval isn't needed it might be rude but its very true!

- Haley

My experience in Angel Faces this time was incredible, I always enjoy going every single year to learn more and reinforce what I learn the years before. We can never get enough of all those tools you teach us each year. Every time when I go there I forget and disconnect from my own world with problems with the way I look. I love to meet new people and make new friendships. Thanks you a lot for that great experience that I have. It was amazing!

- Ana, age 14

I had labeled myself a burn victim. It was who I was, and it was who I was always going to be; no one would ever see anything but my scars. I saw myself as living my life alone, and dying an old maid because there was no one that would ever love me for me, scars (both physical and emotion) and all.

Well, all of that is perfect rubbish of course. I may have never come out of that self-esteem funk if not for the Angel Faces retreat. Being around amazingly strong girls and women who have gone through very similar circumstances and have come out on top helped me to realize that I was just pitying myself. I realized that I am not a burn victim: I am a young woman who happens to have some scars. I know that I can go out in public in a bikini and not even notice an entire room of people staring at me because I'm different. I am now in a place where I know that when a guy is staring at me, it's because I am beautiful, inside and out, and not because he thinks I'm a freak.

Thanks to Angel Faces, I am through with shrinking into a corner when a set of eyes rests upon my face. Instead, I smile, and know that I am someone special because I have survived something that very few people could have with as much grace and dignity.

- Calais, age 17

A lot has changed for me since Angel Faces. It has taken me 16 years to find out the true me. I am so happy with myself and finally love me. I used to cry and say how much I want to change how I look, and get rid of my scars and the person that I am but I am happy in the skin I'm in and I would'nt change it for the world. I finally realized that life is too short to be unhappy and to stress over how I look…so now I just wear what I want to wear look the way I look and If I am happy with it that is all that matters. Since Angel Faces I have also finally realized that I need to let my guard down and trust people.

Also, if I don't feel comfortable I have boundaries and I can speak up and say what I want to say. I have finally found my voice in life. I love life and I am so happy I finally can be the person I want to be. Since I returned home from Angel Faces and started school; for the first time ever people said they have seen a change in me and I got new friends. Friends who love and enjoy life as much as I do an who like me for me an want to help me through anything. In school I feel so different and since the retreat I had the guts to finally take a speech and debate class. Now I find getting up an talking to big groups of people so much fun I just had to get over my own self consciousness. My life has been flipped for the good. THANK YOU ANGEL FACES

- Crystal, age 16

What I most liked was the meetings. Lesia and Diane shared with us their stories, and it made me realize that my lip compared with all they've been through is nothing. Also hearing the experiences of the other girls gave me strength. On one meeting they helped us to create responses when someone asked us what we had, etc. and that was very helpful because I froze every time someone asked me something or stared at me. And well, everyone was very nice and kind with me. It was a great experience. I am sooo grateful and what I learned at Angel Faces will be with me forever; and now every time I feel sad because of a stare or a question, etc. I will remember Angel Faces and I know that will put a smile on my face.

- Michelle, age 14

What I learned was to be outgoing the first time that I meet someone. I feel more self confident and more happy to be alive. The first year I went and came home I saw a big difference in myself. This year was so assume, I made so many friends. All of the staff was so wonderful and so helpful. I was so happy to see you all again.

- Stacy, age 18