Eugene Shares How Your Support Gives Him Hope.
September 9, 2025
Looking back, Eugene remembers his younger years being filled with structure and opportunity. He’d attended a residential school that emphasized discipline and personal development.
When he graduated and returned home, however, Eugene felt the absence of boundaries and guidance. “I went from being surrounded by mentors to being totally on my own,” he recalls. “I was naïve and fell in with the wrong crowd.” Soon, he was introduced to drugs and alcohol.
By his mid-twenties, Eugene was struggling to navigate life. When he was introduced to more powerful substances, his life began to spiral. “I didn’t understand addiction,” he admits. “My drug use became a horrible obsession.”
Over the years, Eugene cycled through periods of stability followed by relapse. Even when he had housing or a job, it never lasted. “Whenever I had a roof over my head, I was always on the verge of losing it.”
Eugene’s darkest moment came when he was facing eviction again. “I was tired and spiritually broken. I had no desire to use anymore… but I had no idea how to stop,” he shares. Eugene remembered the Mission from years before and made a clear decision: “That’s where I wanted to go and get help.”
“The Mission provided an atmosphere of serenity – the perfect place to heal.”
Eugene promised himself he’d stay at the Mission for a full year – a level of commitment he’d never experienced. Since then, he’s found not only sobriety, but healing. Here, he’s been able to rehabilitate after knee surgery, give back by serving others in the kitchen and take on leadership as a dorm assistant. “I’ve learned I feel most like myself when I’m giving instead of taking,” he smiles.
Now, Eugene sees the path ahead as a peaceful one. “I used to think going after material things would make me happy,” he said. “I’m chasing serenity now.”
Your gifts are bearing fruit in the lives of people like Eugene. Now, his heart is full of hope this fall... thanks to your kindness! “City Mission saves lives. I know because it saved mine.”
-s.jpg)
