LifeBuilder

At Waterfront Mission, we believe in the power of new beginnings. Below, are five inspiring stories of men who have recently graduated from our LifeBuilder Recovery Program. Each of them faced their own rock bottom, but through faith, perseverance, and the support they found at the Mission, they rebuilt their lives. May these serve as…

John remembers his childhood as a series of contrasts. Like his mom, who was an alcoholic… and his dad, who was overprotective to try to compensate. Or a wonderful childhood spent playing outside… and a heartbreaking experience of addiction as he became a teenager. When John was about 13 years old, time with friends took…

Daniel grew up in a good family, and his mom always took him to church. But as a young teen, he started down a path of substance abuse that continued long into adulthood. “I was the bad kid. I wanted to do what I wanted to do no matter what.”  Even after Daniel became a…

Darin was heartbroken when his beloved father passed away, but there wasn’t time to grieve. He had to be strong and provide care for his disabled mother. But when she died three years later, his grief sent him spiraling into a deep depression. “I wanted to leave this world and go be with my mom…

Before I came to Waterfront Mission, I had one foot in church ministry and my other foot in hell – and I could die at any moment. Let me explain how I got here.  I grew up in a Christian home, but my father was an abusive alcoholic who left me with a lot of…

Michael was a hardcore crack cocaine addict.  But he decided he wanted a different life.  That’s when he came to Waterfront.  He completed the Recovery Program in 1995 and has been living clean and sober ever since!  In fact, he’s a thriving business owner who each year helps many men face — and deal with…

Billy is a diagnosed schizophrenic. He served on submarines with the U.S Navy and suffered from PTSD as a result of traumatic incidents, turning to drugs and alcohol to self-medicate. After his fiancee left him, unable to watch him destroy himself, Billy realized that he needed help. That’s when he turned to the Mission.

Ray served our country in the Navy in the height of the Vietnam Era. He accepted the Lord after his service ended, but by the 80s he had turned his back on his faith and spent the next 30 years running from God. After several bouts of homelessness and time in prison, he was desperate…