Client Stories

Football Dreams Dashed – New Career Found

Rebuilding a life after promising future stolen by violence

Steve was on his way to a promising football career. He had started his Freshman year at Florida State University, ready to perform on the gridiron for one of the top college football programs in the country. Then he got a call from back home in Oakland – his 12-year-old brother had been shot and killed.

Steve returned home for the funeral. He never returned to the football field or to Florida. The devastating impact of street violence had destroyed his dreams and spun his life out of control. “I sold a lot of drugs on those streets,” Steve remembers. “But one day, I told myself I had to get out. I had to find a better way. So I left and came here to Fairfield.”

He embarked on a career path as a warehouse manager for retail stores. He was bringing home a solid income and had found success off the streets. Unfortunately, the relationships side of life for Steve led to problems financially and at his job. He reached out to staff at Mission SOLANO asking if they could help him through a tough spot.

“They opened the doors to me and have helped me each step of the way. Every staff person here has helped me. They helped me go back to school. They gave me support all along the way.”

Steve talks about how he’s going to give back – maybe by finishing school and getting a job as a counselor. Maybe he’ll just come back to volunteer and help other guys like him. With his warm smile and hopeful outlook on life today, it’s hard to believe Steve has led most of his adult life dealing with devastating depression and living a rough life on the streets. With friends to support him, Steve knows he can make it good.