Steve’s life fell apart when he had to leave a job he loved. A UCSD hospital security guard for 11 years, he tripped and fell after work, shattering his shoulder.

“I had to resign. It devastated me, so I started to drink, and my purpose for drinking was to die.”

Steve wasn’t much of a drinker before. But when the losses in his life piled up, the heartbreak was too much. His dad had passed away from Alzheimer’s and on top of that, his son died of alcohol withdrawal in 2021.

Hopeless, Steve spent his savings on alcohol and motels before eventually living in his car. And alcohol poisoning landed him in the ICU five times. Tragically, his son’s death became the wake-up call he needed to stop drinking. While in the hospital, he prayed for the cravings to stop, and Steve has been sober ever since.

In August 2023 the Oceanside PD’s Homeless Outreach Team referred him to our North County Lighthouse shelter days after it opened. He felt welcomed, and as staff discussed his next steps, they invited him to join Mission Academy to rebuild his life. Initially he was reluctant because it was faith-based. But he trusted his gut feeling and accepted, recognizing “these are people who really do care.”

Steve was scared when he first arrived here. Communal living felt overwhelming. “I was really depressed for the first week, sleeping all day.” Going to daily devotions and listening to people share their testimony or Bible verses helped Steve overcome his fear and find comfort in prayer.

“I wake up with prayers to be kind and gracious and learn something. And every night I’m praying with gratitude for being here, for my son who passed away, and my other son.”

With his advocate’s help, he set goals for employment and finances, his hope building along the way. Steve credits the self-awareness he gained from classes like Anger Management and Conflict Resolution for his personal growth and renewed interest in returning to work as a mediator to supplement his fixed income.

His faith has become stronger, too. He feels surrounded by God’s love and compassion and he’s learned to be consistent in prayer to keep himself from “going off the rails.”

Steve is most grateful for having renewed hope for the future. He smiles, “I would really like my own key for a place to live. I want to cook again and get back into being a mediator, something I was really good at.”