Client Stories

Patrick is a resident of Portland Rescue Mission's New Life Recovery program.

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Patrick's Story

“I found myself in a very dark place. I was drinking every single day. I had basically exhausted all of my options and found myself out on the street - something that I never thought could ever possibly happen to me. It's the loneliest place in the world. The days are endless, long, dreary, dirty, filthy, hard and uncomfortable and I never want to have to go through that again. I went without food a couple of times.

I remember the first breakfast that I had at the Portland Rescue Mission, and I think it was something simple, cold cereal and toast, but it was the first time I was able to eat something for a couple of days. And that was an incredible blessing.

When I walked in and read some of the sayings on the wall and met some of the guys that were in the program, I was immediately touched and knew it was where I needed to be.

Going from having nothing to all of a sudden belonging was one of most miraculous experiences of my life and it's something I will never forget. I got into the program and immediately started praying. It was as though something changed in me, it was as though something clicked on a spiritual level and I felt connected again. I talked to some of the other men in the program at that time and they said that "its one day at a time, and that it gets better." And it did get better every single day. The healing process takes a very long time but those first few days were crucial because they showed me in essence that healing was possible.

The Portland Rescue Mission is extremely important in my life because without it I wouldn't have sobriety and if I didn't have sobriety I wouldn't have anything. So without this place and the support that I get here and the people in the program I would be back out on the street again and that's never ever a place that I will go back to.”