Meet David, a new Peer House Leader for REAL LIFE! He was born in Rockville, Maryland. Shortly after he moved to Virginia and encountered some challenging childhood experiences that led him to experiment with drugs during middle school. He dropped out of high school and struggled with addiction, spending much of a decade in and out of prison.
He entered REAL LIFE after his most recent incarceration and was a little skeptical of the program at first. David had experienced other rehabilitation programs before, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about the commitment level that REAL LIFE requires. When he arrived, the men around him helped and encouraged him, even though they were all from different walks of life.
He doesn’t remember the moment, but around two months into the program, things changed for him. Once David started his job and working the program, he started to feel hopeful about the new life he was creating. He became an assistant Peer House Leader, and he enjoyed being able to help people the way that he had been helped upon his entry to the program.
In addition to recently becoming a Peer House Leader, David will be able to graduate this March, and he’s so grateful that his mom will be able to attend and see how he has changed his life. He is also succeeding in his job; David is currently working for a landscaping company and recently got a promotion. Once he has completed his time as a Peer House Leader, he is looking forward to continuing to work towards securing a home for himself and, eventually, his three youngest children.
David, your momentum towards a thriving life inspires us! Way to go!
