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NEBCOA – Harmony House
Success Story
Harold’s Story
Harold is a 47-year-old chronically homeless client
who was referred to Harmony House from an area
homeless shelter. Harold’s life wasn't always like
this. He was once married and the father of a son.
To support his family he worked a variety of jobs
over the years, such as a house painter, landscaper
and roofer. At this stage of his life he was able to
control his drinking which allowed him to fulfill
his responsibilities to his family. But over time
the progression of his alcoholism took control of
his life. He lost his job and other losses soon
followed until Harold found himself on the street
with nowhere to go. He was not allowed to see his
son; his wife was divorcing him and his world was
falling apart. Harold did what most alcoholics do
which is to continue to go deeper and deeper into
the bottle.
Harold’s life proceeded to become a cycle of
shelters, detoxes and the streets. He found himself
in hospital emergency rooms more and more
frequently; the result of the toll his lifestyle was
taking on him. Following his last emergency room
visit he was once again referred to a shelter, but
this time he vowed it was going to be different.
Harold sought out the caseworker who had helped him
in the past and explained to him that he was tired
of the lifestyle he'd been living and asked for help
to find a new way of life. This resulted in Harold
being referred to the Harmony House in New Bedford.
He was interviewed for the Chronically Homeless
Demonstration Project at Harmony House and was
transported to the Program that very day.
On April 14, 2006 Harold was admitted to the Harmony
House Treatment Program. From the outset he was
motivated to make the most of his treatment. He
approached his groups, classes and counseling
sessions with an urgency borne of desperation. While
he was making progress confronting his addiction, he
discovered during a routine physical that he had
some very serious medical problems that needed
treatment. Doctors discovered that he had advanced
emphysema, as well as pneumonia. He soon became very
ill and needed to be hospitalized. He was in the
hospital for seven days for treatment of "walking"
pneumonia, which the doctors told him could have
killed him if he'd still been living on the streets.
When Harold returned to Harmony House from the
hospital he required oxygen 24 hours a day.
On August 14th he completed 120 days in the Harmony
House. What has transpired in that brief period of
time in Harold’s life is truly remarkable. He puts
everything he has into his recovery from the
alcoholism, the alcoholism that made his life so
unmanageable for so many years and the thing that
brought him to the Harmony House. As a result he has
experienced some of the rewards of recovery .He has
become a "power of example" to the other men in the
house. His peers look to him for guidance and
inspiration. We encourage some of our clients; when
ready, to make amends to those they have harmed.
This is done to help the client right some of the
wrongs of his past. In some cases the rewards of
this exercise far exceed our expectations. In his
case he contacted his ex-wife and son with the
assistance of his counselor. Harold had hopes of
making amends with them for the pain he had caused
them in the past. They accepted his amends without
reservation. His family explained to him that they
had been praying for the day that he would call to
tell them he was sober and in recovery. Since that
phone call a great deal has happened in his life. He
has been welcomed back home to his family. He awaits
his weekend passes like a young man waiting to go
out on a date. Although he is not well physically,
his enthusiasm for life is a source of inspiration
to his peers. This client has been given a chance to
start his life over thank to your support of the
United Way. |
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