Meet Damon

Damon is a tall, bearded man who likes to relax in his new apartment catching up on sports. He speaks poetically and deliberately, each word a tile he’s carefully setting down. When asked about how long he spent on the Clare Housing waiting list he says, “Four years”.

Four years is a long time, but Damon is quick to point out that he got his apartment at exactly the right time. “It’s like destiny. If I got this a year earlier, I would have blown it.” When he got the news he had a home with us, Damon was living at a sober house.

“Before I got the call I was in treatment, and then in treatment again. Before that, I was totally homeless, addicted. Living the most untenable lifestyle you can imagine. It sucked for a long time.”

Things changed for him after the tragic death of a friend who was also struggling with addiction. That trauma provided the spark that Damon used to get on his current path. “I feel like I’m a baby taking his first steps,” he said. “I don’t know if you’d call this a version of the womb, but I consider this apartment a part of the birthing process of a healed version of myself. It’s been an awesome journey.”

When asked what he loves most about his apartment, Damon replies, “It’s my favorite place in the world to be. It’s the first time I’ve had a place all to myself, and it’s become a big part of my recovery. There’s no drugs here. There are no bad or untrustworthy people. No drama. It’s just me.”

It’s also become an important part of maintaining his health. “The only times I have ever taken my [HIV] meds are when I’ve had a regular place to lay my head. For me, there is no taking meds or keeping up with it if I don’t have a home.”

Many of the moments Damon enjoys most in the day revolve around his home. “I love listening to my ‘get up and go’ music in the morning. It’s great to be able to have get-togethers at my place. I’ve also been biking again now that I have a safe place to keep my wheels.”

“One of the things I love to do is bike over to the thrift store. I always find something cool there. Now that I have a place to be I’ve started collecting things. My place is full of little knickknacks.”

Damon also has a new job. He’s now working at the Aliveness Project doing outreach to people experiencing homelessness and dealing with addiction. He teaches them about HIV, hands out clean needles, and does HIV testing.

When asked about the future, Damon is cautiously optimistic. “Addiction is crazy,” he explained. “I could exchange my peace and place for a high at any time. But I don’t see myself ever making that choice. I’m happy right now.”

He credits the love of his family back in Texas, and the staff at Pride Treatment, the Aliveness Project, HCMC Primary Care, and Clare Housing for preserving his life through some challenging times.

“I always talk about the boost I got from the love I was shown during the course of my addiction. Being loved by others reminded me that I was worthy of love. That was huge for me!

“I want to say ‘thank you’ to my loving and supportive family back in Texas. I appreciate you all and I intend for the way I live my life today to be a reflection of the strength I gained from every act of love I received from you. There are many other people and organizations I could thank, but these have been the most impactful in my life.”

Thanks so much to Damon for sharing his story with us, and for serving the community in his new role doing outreach at the Aliveness Project. We hope he continues to be happy in his new home and fills his apartment with lovely little knickknacks that will make him smile every day.