Donald’s Comeback Story
Changing Lives Through Trust
Growing Up with the Wrong Role Models
I had an older brother that I hero worshiped,” remembers Donald. Sadly, his brother was not the type of hero young boys should look up to. When Donald followed in his brother’s footsteps, they led him to prison.
“I got 25 years in the system. I learned to live like an animal. When I came out this last time, I was having trouble adjusting back into society.” Knowing that he needed to make some lasting changes to his life if he wanted to stay out of prison, Donald sought help at The City Mission.
Learning to Trust
Donald admits that the road back wasn’t always smooth. He thought about giving up but tells us, “God kept me here. He said, ‘Let these people help you.’ I saw what they had to offer and did what they told me to do. After a couple of months, I started seeing the fruits of it. I’m glad I stayed.”
Once he let his guard down, Donald discovered that he had true friends at The City Mission. “They didn’t turn their backs on me, and that’s all I knew when I was growing up. They made me feel that they cared about me,” he says.
Human Again
“Coming here gave me a chance to take a look at myself,” Donald tells us. “The Crossroads program gave
me answers to the questions I had. I started learning how to live like a human being again.”
In fact, Donald is now living as a very creative human being! A talented self-taught sculptor, Donald plans to go to art school and hone his craft. In the meantime, he says, “I’m turning my life around.” He has a job, a car, and a place of his own. More than that, he has hope. “I can actually see a future for myself now.”