Anthony’s Comeback Story

he son of an evangelist and a preacher, Anthony started life on a straight and narrow path, but he strayed from it after graduating high school. “I hung out with people I shouldn’t have, and I started dabbling in drugs and alcohol. I left the church for a while.”

Anthony found his way back, operating a successful barbershop and setting a good example for his five children. However, the pandemic shut his business down and Anthony lost everything … including his sobriety.

Homeless, without hope, Anthony came to Crossroads Men’s Crisis Center. His individualized program helped him identify the root causes of his addiction. Now on medication to treat his depression and PTSD, Anthony is in good health physically, mentally, and spiritually.

“I feel like the Lord is answering me because I’m not trying to do it all myself,” says Anthony. “I entered more deeply into the Word, and the Word is what leads me. I pray for discernment and understanding, that He would show me His will.”

Anthony believes God’s will for him in the immediate future is to remain focused on his recovery, repair his relationship with his family, and return to his profession as a barber. Looking ahead, he hopes to launch a new career as a drug counselor. “I’d like to teach people what I’ve learned. Who could better help you with a problem than someone who’s had one himself?”

Without the support of individuals in the Cleveland community for The City Mission, Anthony might never have received the practical and compassionate help he needed. As he says, “The City Mission greeted me with open arms. They were never judgmental. They believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. I want to thank everybody involved, all the agencies outside this place and those who give. I’m very appreciative.”