I was homeless and living out of my vehicle.

About that same time I also connected with the Mary T Klinker people and met my case worker who helped me get my vehicle back when it got impounded. The police took it while I was sleeping in it and put me on the street.

I met another person from Mary T Klinker Vet Center who financially helped me. I saw that he was also a veteran. Helping people is what they do, and I’m one of the people they have helped. Helping others is a noble endeavor which I hope to add in my life. I am trying to now.

You see, getting my vehicle back didn’t end my problems.

Addiction is a monster that has lived in me most my life. I am old and decided one day that I wasn’t going to live with that monster anymore. I just went to tell my case manager thank you for everything and left my stuff — I figured someone else could use it. I was leaving the parking lot when she came after me. It was like she knew what I was doing. I told her goodbye and gave her a hug. But she wouldn’t leave me alone. She kept following me and told me she knew what I was doing and that if I left the parking lot that she would have to call the police.

Then she asked me to let her take me to the hospital. There was something in her eyes that said I needed to do it. When we got to the hospital I told her I better not take something in and I gave her my .380 bullet. I only had one and it had been chambered many times. She asked me where the firearm was but I told her it wasn’t on me or on any public property.

We went in and she stayed with me a long time until the VA came to get me. We talked about my family, my son was in prison and gonna come out soon. My daughter didn’t talk to me. Drugs took me away from them a long time ago. She told me it wasn’t too late but I didn’t believe her. I didn’t want to go to the VA but didn’t want the police called.

But then I started thinking about that Veteran who got my car out. He didn’t have no legs, but he helped me without even knowing me. My case worker kept talking about my son and how only I could stop the path he was on. I went to Indianapolis VA and then I went to Marion VA.

And you know what? I decided I wanted to live.

I stayed at the VA a while in Marion, then I got out and they gave me a job. I am still working there and I have my own apartment and this is the longest I have been sober on my own my whole life. It will be two years next March.

And guess what, my son came out of prison and he has been working diligently to stay clean and be a provider and an example to his children and others. He is proud of me and I am proud of him.

Caring about me has multiplied to a lot of blessings that have trickled down to many lives. Thank you all for being there for me.