Raconda Wells

Today is February 4th, World Cancer Day, and in conjunction with Black History Month, we honor a strong, beautiful woman by the name of Raconda Wells. 

Raconda, a woman with a powerful voice and a testimony of redemption, led a life plagued by trauma. In childhood, she suffered through abuse inflicted on her by a family member, seizures that affected her ability to drive a car and maintain a job, homelessness and substance abuse. In her touching video filmed for The Well, she says, “I was sick and tired of being sick and tired”. 

When The Well’s Founder and Executive Director, Mandy Memmel, encountered Raconda on the streets of Curtis Bay she saw a tired and weary woman but inside Raconda was ready to seize the opportunity for life change. Raconda reflects on that moment, “Mandy came right on time. I was on the edge and I was ready to jump.” 

Raconda began to dismantle the walls she had built around her heart and let love in for the first time. She engaged in The Well’s COR Life Development program and was a member of one of its first groups to graduate.

Raconda was rebuilding her life on a solid foundation. She was working as The Well’s Facility Manager, had her name on a housing lease agreement for the first time in her life, was becoming a leader at The Well and in her community when she was tragically diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

Though her health began to decline she continued to have great faith, optimism and gratefulness for how far she had come and the changes she had made in her life. Sadly, she lost her battle with cancer just 8 months after her diagnosis. We mourned her passing with a deep sense of loss but so much appreciation for the impact she had on our lives. She maintained sobriety for the last 4 years of her life and restored relationships with her children. She left a wonderful legacy for her children and made a ripple effect in south Baltimore for the next woman; the next woman who is sick and tired of being sick and tired and who is ready to seize the opportunity for life change. 

Raconda’s beautiful smile never leaves the forefront of our minds and her light continues to shine in the community. We are so thankful for having known her and grateful to have this opportunity to highlight her amazing story in Black History Month.