Hungry for food. Hungry for love. Hungry for LifeChange.

For most of his life, there were not many Thanksgivings that Austin had a lot to be thankful for. “The pain in my life started real early on,” he says. From the time he was a child, Austin was pretty much on his own. “I had to wake up and provide for myself in an environment that’s not good for a kid to be in, with drugs around, and needles around, and a mom who’s in and out of the house, living a nomadic life, and a father who’s in and out of prison.” Austin’s parents were so absent it’s a miracle he survived.

Alone. Hungry. Hopeless.

“I just remember going to bed hungry,” he says. “Often I was sleeping in garages with my family... I remember getting kicked out of houses, and we were running from cops.” Austin’s mom lost custody and he was sent to live with his grandparents. Finally, he had some stability in his life. Things got even better when his dad got out of prison and became a regular part of his life. But the first week of high school, Austin’s dad disappeared. He would do that occasionally, so Austin didn’t think anything of it until he overheard the nightly news. A body was found in the Willamette River. The tattoo they described was Austin’s dad’s. Austin was heartbroken.

A Dangerous Prescription

At his grandparents’, Austin no longer had to worry about going to bed hungry — or wonder whose garage he’d be sleeping in. Finally, Austin was able to do things other kids his age did, including getting his wisdom teeth extracted. For Austin that surgery was the beginning of his addiction... he just didn’t know it yet. He blew through his prescription pain medication and instantly wanted more. “Because of the pain that I felt, I think that I was more drawn towards something that made me feel good,” he says. In spite of his addiction, Austin was able to finish high school and start college. But on a visit home, his aunt introduced him to meth. Austin was hooked. “Things took off, and it was like an eight-year run… I did some of the craziest things.”

Life Changes Here

Finally, living on the street, hungry and alone, Austin reached out and asked for help. He came to the Mission, where gifts from friends like you provided nourishing meals, a safe place to sleep, essential care and Christ-centered support in our LifeChange recovery program. It helped him begin living a new life. Three years after graduating, Austin has plenty to be thankful for. Not only is he sober, he has a new identity in Christ, recently got promoted at his job and is a newlywed. “LifeChange gave me a sense of community. It showed me how to serve the Lord. They gave me tools that I can use for the rest of my life,” Austin says.

Austin and his wife, Sarah, got married in April, 2024. This will be their first Thanksgiving together as a married couple!