Learning Independence
“I'm finally starting to take responsibility for where I'm going."
Jonathan, age 22, reflects on a life shaped by instability, addiction and recovery as he builds a future of his own.
“I was born and raised in Roanoke, Virginia. My mother struggled with mental health issues, my father was rarely around and by age 11 I was being raised by my grandparents. I moved around a lot and never really knew what stability felt like.
School was one place where I did well. I wanted to be the one in my family who made it further. I wanted to make my great-grandmother proud.
When I was 11, I moved away from everything I knew. I didn't handle it well. I stopped caring about school and started acting out. I think I was angry that my life kept changing without me having a say in it.
Regardless, at 16, I earned my GED and went back to Roanoke. Not long after, I was introduced to methamphetamine. The first time I used it, I felt like I could take on the world. Within a month, I was addicted.
I went to treatment and stayed sober for a year. But when I went back to old environments, I relapsed. After that, I lost relationships, opportunities and direction.
In 2025, I came to Baltimore for work. I lost my job because of my addiction and ended up homeless in the winter. The wind cut through my jacket, and I knew I couldn't keep going like that.
I started calling around for help. Marques, from June's feature story, answered the phone at Helping Up Mission and talked me through the program. Because of him, I walked through the doors the next day. I didn't know what to expect.
The first week, I stayed to myself and spent time in the art room. I was just trying to get my bearings. Before I knew it, another client asked me to give the choir a chance. I didn't say much at first, but I kept showing up for rehearsals.
I didn't perform until Christmas. We did a tree lighting in Recovery Park. It was cold, but it felt real.
Since coming to HUM, I've started to build independence. I'm thinking about my future in a way I never have before. I'm pursuing a nursing degree and learning how to make decisions for myself.
For most of my life, I felt like things were happening to me. Now I feel like I'm finally starting to take responsibility for where I'm going.
To the donors, thank you for making this possible. Without your support, I wouldn't have had the chance to make this change."
