Coming Home

From Tent in the Woods to Job Supervisor in One and-a-Half Years
For six months, Randy lived in a tent in the woods. He found a nice spot between two trees. “It was home,” he said. “It kept me warm and dry.”
After losing his job, Randy saw a story in the newspaper about Steven Adams, the new Manager of Veterans Services at City Mission. “If I have any chance at all, this is it,” he told himself.

Randy came to City Mission and presented his military discharge paperwork, which, along with letters and certificates from the Army, he had kept through 20 years of intermittent homelessness. “My service to my country is one of the things I’m most proud of in my life,” he said.
When Adams heard Randy was a veteran, he welcomed him into the Crabtree Kovacicek Veterans House. “We got Randy a bed that night,” Adams said.
Randy left the Army in 1983. “My job in the army was very stressful. I was promoted to Sergeant and put in charge of a team of infantrymen. That’s when I started drinking.”
After a horrific accident in 1986, his third DUI, Randy got sober while serving 90 days in jail. “I should have died on impact, but I didn’t because God’s hand was there,” he said. His leg was severely-broken, and he had life-threatening internal injuries. “I went through two weeks of withdrawal pains, but I refused medication. I needed the pain to remind me why I had to quit drinking. I’ve been sober 31 years as of June 2018.”
After a year and a half at the Mission, Randy was able to get a job working traffic control for a construction company, where he was quickly promoted to supervisor with access to a company car. Recently, he was able to move out of the Mission and into his very own place.

Since then, Randy as earned an Associates Degree and worked in various industries. “All my life, I could never get any support. I’d get a job, but it was never enough. I finally feel I’m getting all the support I need here at the mission.”
After a few days, Adams helped Randy clean up his campsite. On the way back, Adams asked him how it felt to be heading back to City Mission. “I feel like I’m going home,” he said.
After a year and a half at the Mission, Randy was able to get a job working traffic control for a construction company, where he was quickly promoted to supervisor with access to a company car. Recently, he was able to move out of the Mission and into his very own place.
“I’m grateful to God for giving me a second chance at life.”
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