The Story Behind Dezza’s Cabin
Dezza’s Cabin was founded in 2014 by Kristina Wray, following the heartbreaking loss of her 13-year-old son, Derek Brundrett (fondly known as “Dezza”).
Initially, Dezza’s Cabin was established to support teenage mental health and provide guidance to parents navigating the challenges of social services. Derek had been in social services care for 24 months prior to his passing, and Kristina experienced first-hand the difficulties and struggles that many families face in similar situations.
For seven long years, Kristina and her family endured hardship, constantly forced to leave everything behind due to domestic abuse. Under the weight of these threats, she complied to protect her three children, often fleeing with only the bare essentials.
In early 2012, Kristina reached out to social services for help with Derek, who was then a troubled 12-year-old struggling with anger and aggression. Social services recommended placing him into voluntary care to speed up the assessments, which they said would take 6 to 12 months.