David's Thanksgiving Story

David had spent the last 15 years in addiction, slowly spiraling down to rock bottom. Alcoholism cost him everything—his home, his job, and relationship with his daughter. Last November, David’s brother drove him to Gospel Rescue Mission after being exited from yet another recovery program. He didn’t know it then, but he was heading to the 2021 Thanksgiving Blessings to Go event.

“This place saved my life. They care about what happens to you—it’s not just a job for them. You won’t find a place like Gospel Rescue Mission, and that’s a fact! Where you can find a relationship with God, get yourself right, and have all the resources they have here.”

Transcript

Pascal Quintero: 0:10

Hello, and welcome to homeless to wholeness. The Ministry of gospel rescue mission. We're a team of Christ followers on a mission to help others find hope and restoration. Please listen in every other week as we share the inspirational stories of individuals who overcame extreme challenges and found a new life in Christ moving from homeless to homeless. So welcome. Thank you for joining us today, David. And Alyssa, thank you. How are you doing today?

Alyssa Munguia: 0:42

I'm doing well, Pascal. Thank you. How are you doing today?

Pascal Quintero: 0:44

Doing well. Anything happening here at gospel rescue mission?

Alyssa Munguia: 0:49

We're just in the time to get ready for blessings to go, you know, coming up November 23? I think

Pascal Quintero: 0:56

yes. It's November 23. And can you believe we are heading into the holidays are ready? We

Alyssa Munguia: 1:01

can't and let me tell you it hits way different having a baby. That is for sure. So I'm very excited to start the

Pascal Quintero: 1:10

new traditions and Thanksgiving blessing to go. That's really our biggest outreach event of the year. And it started probably, I want to say 34 years we've been doing the annual street banquet.

Alyssa Munguia: 1:23

Well, I think that the original Thanksgiving banquet, yes was about that long ago. But with COVID, we had to figure out a different way to serve the community. So we said, okay, you know, if you've got a car, get on it, and we'll come serve. Yes. So it was pretty cool. It's grown so much,

Pascal Quintero: 1:45

since it really has the streetbank, which started as just this way to serve Thanksgiving dinner to those families who wouldn't normally have a full Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings. And what we did is we took over this street in South Tucson and just set up all these tables and chairs, right there in the middle of a residential area. And it was a real blessing for the community. And you're right COVID did change a lot of things for us. So we created this event called blessings to go, which was specifically just to meet the needs of the community during the early moments of that outbreak. And what it was is, you know, people could drive up in a line, and they would pop up in their trunks. And we would feel the trunk with food resource boxes, paper products, sanitary items, you know, anything that they might need, and I think we even had the pastoral staff doing communion. Oh, are they doing communion? Yeah, that was the first time I had ever seen those little single Canadian packs. Yeah. And for those drivers that wanted to participate in that, that was their first time having communion since the outbreak started. So that was a real blessing for them. Even though those cups that you open the lid of they were very difficult to open up first cousin and and they tasted kind of funny.

Alyssa Munguia: 3:24

plastic plastic grape juice. Yeah. But the

Pascal Quintero: 3:27

message was still there. Yeah, the

Alyssa Munguia: 3:29

community and the, you know, that was a time where we were so separated. And I think that that really was an opportunity to just bring people together. And like just a moment and feel not alone.

Pascal Quintero: 3:45

Absolutely. And with this year's Thanksgiving event, what we're doing is that hybrid of the drive thru style, and the old street banquet feel, yeah, so we're expecting to serve people underneath these large tents, with music, with fun, bouncy houses, for the kids, with games with ice cream cones, you know, whatever you can think of that would be enjoyment for the family to serve that population that wouldn't normally have a full Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings. As well as provide that safe place for the drive thru so that people could get, you know, just open up their trunk, get the resource boxes, get the stuffed animals for the kids. There might even be some pet food there available, as well as prayer and pie

Alyssa Munguia: 4:47

things yet lots of pie, pie, Costco pie, so you know, it's that good stuff.

Pascal Quintero: 4:52

And so we're really looking forward to that on November 23. And one of the reasons Why I find David's story so interesting is he came to us last November during our Thanksgiving, blessings to go event. And that really just opened up all these opportunities for you. Absolutely. So let's talk a little bit about your story. Okay, tell me about yourself. Where did you grow up? Where are you from?

David: 5:23

Well, my mom David, obviously David Logan and I grew up in Springville, Arizona, which is the White Mountains in here in Arizona. Everyone says, When I tell him I'm from Arizona, that Oh, you're from the desert and I'm like, No, I'm from the White Mountains. It's not desert. It's windy and cold there. But uh, I grew up around Valley oak, I was very athletic, played football, wrestled, excelled in sports really well. Got to playing guitar as an early age because my dad is a musician he played in a band is my whole life ended up actually recording a record and a 45. And Flagstaff was one of the highlights of my life. My dad made a record it was in a jukebox where they pull the record out and it goes and flops down. It was kind of cool. That's like pick your dad song. Hey, there was like a dairy cream right there at the end of town and my dad's record was in the jukebox. So we'd go and get an ice cream plays my dad song is pretty cool.

Alyssa Munguia: 6:22

That's great. Is it? I mean obviously there probably are into boxes anymore. But is is there any in any jukebox anything

David: 6:30

that you know not anymore that I know of? My dad has boxes still boxes of those 40 fives. It just give like all of us because they kind of went obsolete. But yeah, and I give them to people that like still have vinyl because it's final. You know, they have record players and stuff like collector's item now. Yeah. So it's kind of cool. Yeah. And then he's he wrote the song. And then he on the other side, he did a song he got permission to record. Anybody going to San Antonio, I think it's a George Street song or something. Anyways, he got permission to actually record that song. So it was kind of a big thing. So yeah.

Pascal Quintero: 7:05

And then music became a big part of your life.

David: 7:08

Absolutely. As the at a young age, my dad taught me, I think I was 10 years old. And he taught me a few chords on the guitar. And then back then those days, it wasn't unusual for us to go and play music with him at the bars. Like he because he raised us My mom passed away when I was really young, when I was like 12 years old, 10 years old. So my dad raised us and playing music was was part of our lives going, you know, going to the bar with him on when we could. And so there was, you know, times when I could play songs on every instrument. I could play a song on the guitar, a song on the bass and song on the drums. And I remember one time we went to Alpine, Arizona, we were playing a street fest. And back then I think my dad was making like $50 a night and they put a hat out. And I played all my songs and I I had made more money than him. And he's like, he's like Darren, he's like, You made more money than I did. And I and I was I was a little kid. Like, that was a lot of money. Yeah, for sure. I mean, like 60 bucks. So it was cool. And I just pretty much grew up around music. My dad did a lot of fundraisers for Ms. I remember there was a every year we would do a big thing for muscular sclerosis every year. And it was a huge deal that my dad did every year. So yeah, I grew up around music a lot.

Pascal Quintero: 8:27

Did music ever become a part of what led into your addiction?

David: 8:31

Um, I do believe soil, when I got it to be in my early 20s I moved to Oklahoma when and got married there in Oklahoma. And I started playing in a band called Shadow land. And, you know, part of the playing music scene was you know, drinking Of course, it was actually part of the part of the getting paid was like Alright, we're gonna get a$80 a man plus all the all you can drink so it just, you know, it wasn't a big deal. I was early in my 20s and whatnot. And then the you know, the nightlife there's other drugs that come along with the nightlife you know, be no you because you're up all night long playing music till two o'clock, three o'clock. So then then there's coke. And then there's math and things that are always around. And so I you know, back then I wasn't a real big fan of it, but I dabbled around in it because the rest of the band members were and that went on for I think, well 12 years on the road. You know, just playing all over Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri. And it was a pretty, pretty wild time.

Pascal Quintero: 9:34

What style of music did

David: 9:35

you play? We played classic rock and a lot of country music. A lot of country music. I love country people. You know, people dance to that you played anything else especially in over there. You wouldn't get to make any money playing heavy metal or rock and roll you know I had white the client Oh no, no, I had one of those bands in high school. We did well and but uh, there he was all about Country music and dancing. And it was really great. Little bit of a twang. Yeah. One of the highlights. I think we opened up for Joe Nichols. Oh, that's awesome. Yeah. Wrapped up Fort Smith, Arkansas. And there was before he really got famous and he hadn't cut his hair. He had long black hair. You look like a heavy metal or but we opened for him at the race. Yeah, the red Roper in Fort Smith, Arkansas. And that was really a big deal. We were pretty happy we had played for like, I think there was like almost 2000 people there. Wow, it was pretty cool. So

Pascal Quintero: 10:35

now during that time, even though you lived a life on the road, got married, started family got married,

David: 10:42

started a family. My drinking then wasn't wasn't it was kind of a thing. But it was only on the weekends. Eventually, that stopped. My my wife that I had married at the time ended up being a really strong alcoholic. I had no idea what alcoholic was until then. And eventually, I just ended up just quitting drinking, because it got so I was trying to take care of her take care of the kids take care of my job. I mean, I was the one taking care of everything. And I put her into three different rehabs trying to get her get her life straight, you know, trying to make it work. Because, you know, when I got married, I got married one time, and I believe that was going to be forever. And I struggled with her many times with their alcoholic. I mean, there's been some really tough times where she's hit me over the head with a bottle. Yeah, I remember one time I came home from work, and I was going to preheat the oven for to make me a pizza and just a good thing. I opened it up and there was a bottle of vodka in there. And I was like, Oh, I got so mad. So I got the bottle and I dumped it out and they filled it up with water. I put it back in there. And I had like three hours to wait for her to get home. And I was thinking, Oh, why did I do that? Why did I do that? Now I'm gonna have to fight with her all night. So she gets home and I'm laying in on the bed or whatever. And I can hear it. I'm like, What did you do? And I'm like, Oh, no. And here she comes. And she hit me right in the side of the head with that bottle full. And yeah, those are just some of the struggles that I had with her. Ultimately, it came to a point to where I couldn't. I couldn't handle it anymore. I was just, I was overwhelmed. And I came home from work one day. After working like a 10 hour shift. I worked at a chicken plant where we was a primary breeder hatchery there in Sallisaw, Oklahoma, called AVGN. And I was the hatch, that supervisor and I worked a 10 hour shift and I had gotten home. And I I got home and my door front door went open and I'm like what the heck. And there was something in front of the door. So I pushed the door up out of like, pushed it. And when I opened it a little bit, I could see that she was my wife was passed out in front of the door. And I'm like, oh my goodness, you know, and we had at the time my daughter was three years old. So I well, she was actually four. And I was like, Oh my gosh, so I tried to wake her up and I'm like, Hey, where's Katie? You know, where's our daughter at? And she couldn't answer me. She was so inebriated that I completely panic. So I I dropped what I was doing. And I started looking around I lived in like a it was a big trailer park kind of and they had a bunch of little houses all the way around. So I started going just walking down the block, you know, a couple of blocks away and I found my daughter two blocks away on a swing set at some people's house that I had no idea who they were. It was pretty much that was it. That's all I can handle. I just knew that. I couldn't trust her, you know, to even go to work, right? So I went back before she even woke up from what she was doing. I packed mine in my daughter's stuff in a in whatever I could carry my bag. And the time I didn't know what to do. So I was I had an aunt that lived in Arkansas. They're in Little Rock. And so I was I was at the truck stop. I was watching guys get away from there. I went to the truckstop. And I was calling my my family on the phone in a couple next door. Like right there on a phone that they had there had heard overheard me talking to my dad and they're like, hey, well, we're going to Conway, which is right there. We'll be more than happy to give you and your daughter a ride. And I'm like, Wow, all right. Amazing. You know, I just couldn't believe it. They were offered to help me. So we jumped in with those with the couple. And they gave us a ride to Conway which is just right outside a little rock and my aunt met us there. And then I stayed with my aunt a few days and then ended up making my way back to New Mexico where where I ultimately ended up raising my daughter.

Pascal Quintero: 14:53

So how did your life change during that time?

David: 14:56

My life changed because I was really depressed Rest. After leaving my wife, I was happy that I was raising my daughter. But I was alone. All the time my life was revolved around my daughter, I didn't pursue another relationship. I was still married to my wife. So basically I kind of got into a, maybe a routine you would call it I was working construction at a place called Alamo earthworks. And so I would go to work, come back, you know, every day, my daughter, you know, come home, just drink a few beers every night. You know, that's old. All the guys did is what so? So what I did, you know, I was just, you know, and it progressed, because I ended up being alone, depressed, still missing my wife, still calling her wondering, you know, how are you doing? Are you better yet thinking she's gonna ultimately just get better. She finally did. But it was too late. By then she had done moved on, which sent me even more depressed because she was planning on getting married. So she approached me about getting a divorce, and I was already ready for it by then. So I explained to her sure, you know, I'll give you a divorce, but I'm gonna want full and physical custody of my daughter. And she agreed, and she paid for everything. And so I took a trip to Oklahoma, and met with her lawyer. And she signed my daughter over to me, and I told her, you know, I'll never keep your daughter from you. I'll never badmouth you to your daughter. I said, you know, because that's, it's not something that I'm going to do. It's just going to hurt her more. So she was still in her addiction at the time, she was also addicted to meth. And she signed the papers, she got married, I came back to New Mexico with my daughter raising my daughter. And she eventually found God. And she became a full blown Christian before I did. But the whole time it took a few years, and I would always just tell her telling my daughter, you know, your mom's sick. I never said Your Mom's an alcoholic. Your mom's a meth addict. I just said your mom's sick, because and eventually she was gonna learn on our own. So time went on. I raised my daughter to up to high school, still drinking beers that finally I

Pascal Quintero: 17:18

can't ask if music was a part of your life at that point, or were you just going through the motions. The same

David: 17:24

thing with my with MMA that I did, my dad did with me, I started playing music. And there were times that I'd bring my daughter with me, there were, you know, to not I couldn't bring her at that point. I couldn't bring her to the regular bars. But there was like bars and restaurants on him. Those bars, I was allowed to have my daughter with me. And she was a big part of that I played music on the weekends. And

Pascal Quintero: 17:49

what about the drinking or the

David: 17:51

Yeah, that was good. The drinking got ended up getting progressing. So the beer wasn't quite getting in enough and I had sunken into depression. So the beer turned to a half pint of whiskey, and then some beer, because it just wasn't doing it with the beer and I just wanted to get there faster. So my daughter was young, she didn't really know what was going on. But like she would get home you know, at school time you're in bed, your shower, brush your teeth, in bed by eight o'clock. So then I would start my drinking then so she wouldn't see. And I would drink and till you know, 10 o'clock, I'd make sure I was done drinking and, and just became a functioning alcoholic, and smoked weed as well. And would do the same thing every day, pick her up from school, have a happy life, I would miss I wouldn't miss any of her plays any of her. Anything like that. I was always there to do make sure I was doing my prep. But at the end of the night, there I was, I would do my little like ritual, I would consider it or think if it was almost like a routine and to where it was part of it. Pretty soon my daughter, she got to the age where she knew what it was, but it wasn't considered a bad thing. I didn't even need me. I didn't think it was that I was doing anything wrong. Because I was still taking care of my daughter. I wasn't asking for anybody for anything. But slowly but surely I was sinking into depression more and more and not realizing it.

Pascal Quintero: 19:20

Did it become just this cycle where you started drinking to kind of numb the loneliness, the depression and then the alcohol on we fit into that causing you to come down even further, right?

Alyssa Munguia: 19:34

Yeah, Alcohol is a depressant. So although it numbs you it then also elevates and sort of puts it under a microscope that feeling of sadness and depression.

David: 19:47

Absolutely. So it just like you said it would give us at first it was more of a numbness, but then it proceeded to progress. As my daughter got older. She started being more dependent on her herself, I wasn't having to do her laundry, she was doing her own laundry. She was going out with friends when she was in middle school, you know, to do these different things. So that left me there alone and more time to drink more time to think about, you know, where's my life going from here?

Pascal Quintero: 20:16

But that was that was natural for her. I mean, she's growing up, she's becoming an adult. And as a parent, you know, what could be, you know, prouder than that?

David: 20:25

Absolutely. I was. I just wasn't ready theory,

Alyssa Munguia: 20:28

in theory, parents would be proud. But I think that there's always that, that. That feeling of not wanting to let go. Especially because what you know, what I'm hearing you say is that she's she was what was keeping you around?

David: 20:43

Absolutely. She was what was keeping me I would say grounded which later on in the story, you'll see how, how it all turned out. So as she she got older, she started doing more things. So my drinking progressed. Then he got to the point to where she knew what I was doing and route finally realized that it was an issue. So then I started getting not a lot, but a little bit of backlash, you know, a little bit of rebellion. She was always a good kid, a good student. She never she never like decided because I was doing this and drinking. But I couldn't hide it from her anymore. She was an almost a young adult. She knew Hey, Dad's drinking every night. Hey, Dad, smooth, I can smell weed, my dad smoking. You know what? Smoking weed, and it's not good, it's wrong. And then at a certain point, I just didn't hide it from her anymore. There was no sense. And she got into high school. And she progressed. Then she got an academic scholarship to the U

Pascal Quintero: 21:44

of A Awesome, yeah, she made you so proud. I was so

David: 21:48

proud. I was like, Man, how did this happen? You know, and then everyone's Well, man, you know, you did a great job raising your and everything. And so I was thinking, okay, everything's still going good, you know, right? Oh, you know, I'm not might be an alcoholic and do this. But I raised a daughter to go into college, you know, everything's great. You know, I went to you to the orientation with her and got her all checked into the U of A, it was real proud moment, to see her get her cat card, I didn't know how big of a deal that was. But like a cat card is a big deal. And then they give one to the parent to where you're a student of, or you're a parent of a student of a of the U of A. And you get all kinds of benefits, you can go to the restaurants over there with your card. And I don't know, I was so proud. And so went from there. And then but my addiction continued, we lived in an apartment complex over there. And at this point, she started really not, not really not liking me drinking anymore, it became a problem now, because now she's she's awake, she's seen me pass out, she's seen me, you know, Miss work to drink and stuff like that. So we got into a few arguments about it. And then, um, she she decided to take a break from college, because it was getting to be too much whenever COVID hit with the classes be online, there was no one on ones with the professor. She wasn't used to that. So it was really hard for her. And at that point I, I wasn't providing what I needed to provide apparently, because, you know, she went out and got a job and decided to take a break from college. At this point, I'm needing help. As soon as she left the house. My depression went from right here to skyrocketing. I was alone. Every night, I was drinking more than I'd ever drink. I was drinking a fifth almost a fifth of whiskey and night, every night. It got to be a routine. And I was still maintaining a job a good job. I was working as a maintenance tech. So I was working right there where I was living right where I was working. And so it was real, real convenient for me to be a drunk because I just wake up and go right out my door. I didn't have to drive anywhere, right? And my depression sunk even worse. So it got to be so bad that my family started. When my family Ned would never come around me. They would never, they never seen any of my apartments where I lived because they just knew I was in my addiction. They didn't want to see me like that. And I didn't understand that. At this

Alyssa Munguia: 24:30

point. Did you know that you had an addiction? Or did you think that this is just part of your life?

David: 24:35

At this point, I'm starting to figure it out. But I didn't know how to stop it. It's kind of like a train that started going and but I just couldn't stop it. I couldn't quit drinking at this point. I thought I could. But every time I would try I would get sick. And then I would get out get my body feeling better. And I'd be like, Okay, well, I'd be alright. It's just this one time thing. But it got to a point to where I couldn't quit but I was in denial. I was like, I don't have a problem yet. I still got a job. I got a beautiful house, I got all these material things. I don't have a problem until I did. Right. And,

Alyssa Munguia: 25:11

and at that point, alcoholism, not only can you not stop, because mentally you're not there. But physically, if you stop, you'll die.

David: 25:19

Right. And I didn't know that until a couple of times I alcohol poisoned myself and ended up at Tucson Medical Center. And I had my brother take me a couple times and they didn't know that's what it was. I would just tell him, I'm sick. I don't know what's wrong, like, My stomach's hurting. But in reality, it would be me drinking for three or four days and not and forgetting to eat. Yes. And because you would be like, Well, I'm not going to eat. And then the next thing you know, you forget to eat. And if I got sick, I got so sick that I couldn't even drink water. So I'd have to call my brother and my brother would come pick me up and I'd be like, I'm sick. He didn't. He knew. I'm sure you know, like alcohol, right? He knew, but he's like, you know, he's just there to help me. Yeah, he

Alyssa Munguia: 26:08

was just like waiting for you to come to the realization I guess. So right? What a What an awesome brother to just be there unconditionally. You

David: 26:17

have no idea. He's always been there for me. And he would take me there. And you know, and I would go there and he was right there by my side. He wouldn't leave me when I was like the sickest of six. And I would get out of it. And that happened three times. The second time he took me again. The third time he was done. He's like, Nah, he's like, I can't do this anymore. So I called my daughter. And my daughter ended up picking me up and taking me in. And she was she took me but she was not happy about it. She's like, Dad, you gotta quit this, you got it. You know, she's like, you're gonna die. And then the thing that hit me the hardest. I mean, it hit me like a brick. She's like, Dad, she's like, I've already prepared for you to die. She's like, in my heart. She's like I've already prepared for I already know this, what's going to happen? And I was like, Oh, my gosh,

Pascal Quintero: 27:14

how did that make you feel? To hear those words?

David: 27:16

It hit me like a knife going through my heart. I was like, she's already expecting me to die. And like, I was just dining aside when she told me that on the way to the hospital.

Alyssa Munguia: 27:30

Have you had conversations like that with her before about your drinking or her expectations or anything like that? Or has she just been doing her best to be supportive. And then finally, it was just too much.

David: 27:43

She's doing her best to be supportive. We'd had our ins and outs when she was at the end of her high school year, because I was she was off running. And I was really into my addiction. Right. And I, we were getting into arguments, like really big arguments about it. Because she wanted she knew I was an alcoholic, and I wasn't gonna quit. And I was like, Well, you have everything you want. What what do you what do you want? What do you want? What am I doing what? You know? And it didn't? I didn't realize that I didn't get it at the time.

Pascal Quintero: 28:15

So we're talking about maybe 15 years into your addiction?

David: 28:19

Oh, yeah. At least 15 years, I've tried to think about it exactly. I think it's right around 18 years of just drinking and going in, and it just progressing to a point to where like I say, I'm not exaggerating, when I'm telling you, I drink a fifth of whiskey every night. From right around seven to eight o'clock, when I got off work to 10 o'clock, I had to have it by 10 o'clock, I had to have it down. And I wouldn't go to sleep until it was gone. And then wake up and do it the same thing every day.

Pascal Quintero: 28:48

So when did you get to the point? Where are you saying that? Okay, I need to get clean. Well, it wasn't

David: 28:55

for a little bit. And I had a boss that I would I would be I knew I was getting sicker and sicker. And I would be like, I'm gonna quit drinking. I'm not doing this. And I'd go to work in the morning just just feeling like crap. And my boss would come to work with a bottle of Jameson, which is Irish whiskey, and he's like, this, you need to this is what you need. You need to just hear it just, you know, this is gonna make you feel better. And that didn't help. And eventually it came to a head. I ended up started calling into work a lot more because I was sick. First it was just because I wanted to drink more than it was because I got sick. Then I I got to the point to where I was about to lose my job. And I finally did. I finally one day I got so I was so messed up or whatever. I just couldn't feel good. I went in and I just clocked out on the computer and I quit that job. I was done. Because of that boss and all that I just couldn't do it anymore. Well, it wasn't long. I had a good, good job. So it wasn't really hard for me to come Another job, which I did, I got another job doing as a maintenance tech working for another company called asset. And working for an apartment complex right there on stone and Roger called the villas. And I was doing really well there. I say I was doing really well there. I was also still in my addiction. And ended up moving out of the I wasn't living at the villas, I was living at the fountains, but I was working at the villas. I was not going to work at the same place. I live at the same place that I work, it was tough. When you're an alcoholic, and you got people banging on your doors to do maintenance calls, because they know you live there.

Pascal Quintero: 30:40

I would not want that.

Alyssa Munguia: 30:42

So what you're saying is that you chose to not live there because you didn't want people interrupting your drinking, not because you were trying to do better, right. And I thought this was going a completely different direction. I thought this, this was the first step to

David: 30:57

getting there. You tricked me. So yes. So I was like, Yeah, well, it was it was awful. Even when I wasn't drinking, they were knocking on my doors. So it finally came to a head when I started. I started getting behind, I started missing work, they moved me to another complex where I wasn't happy. So I was calling into work and drinking a lot. Finally, uh, I decided I needed I needed to go to rehab. So I talked to my supervisor about it. And I went to a, I can't remember what the rehab was, but my insurance covered it. So I'm there for 13 days going into my rehab, knowing darn good and well that I needed a longer rehab in that. And 13 Days came up and the lady came to me I was doing well. And she's like, Hey, secure your insurance ran out. She's like, your, your Tomorrow's gonna be your last day. And I'm like, but then what do I do? She's like, well, I don't know. Yeah. So I called my dad and I tried to explain to my dad and at this point in my addiction, they weren't believing me. They're like, what? That's not That's not possible. You. You know, you

Pascal Quintero: 32:06

you were trying to get out of somewhere just because of insurance.

David: 32:09

Yeah. She's like that. He's like, That's not that didn't happen. You just want to get back in your addiction. But so he didn't believe me. I got out. I still have my apartment at this time. So I went back to my apartment. And sure enough, a couple of days and I was already back to drinking again. Because it was to go to my AAA meeting was I had to walk right past my bar. They're right next door. So the Midtown taverns here, my alcohol meetings the next door down. So I'd go by, and I'd see oh, hey, there's, there's somebody at my my friend's truck there. I'm gonna go and say hi. Oh, and then I'm gonna have one beer. Yeah, this one go. Good. So I got back into my diction. A while passes. And I go, I decide I'm gonna go back in back into rehab. Because things aren't aren't good. You know, I'm not. I'm trying to get better because my family's done with me. They're like, that's it. Except for my little brother. My little brother. It was all has always been there. He's like, all right. So he picked me up.

Alyssa Munguia: 33:06

Little siblings are the best. Yeah, he's

David: 33:09

he's really great. He took me to, to the rehab. And it was a 24 hour program. And I was having to check out every day and check back in. Because I was looking for at that time at COVID. Here, they didn't have their, their 30 Day program up and running yet, but it was about to, they're like, if you can use waiting, I'll be here about a week we can get you in over there. And I'm like, Alright, cool. So in the process, the one of the nurses there, there was a nurse, the head nurse, and then the little nurse and the little nurse, there are sisters. This two sisters get into it. And the next morning the ambulance coming to pick me up. And the the big sister is like, yeah, he has a really, really super high blood pressure. And he was hallucinating last night. And I'm like what? And so they they take me out of there. There's no question. She signs the papers and I'm gone. All my stuff is left there. They take me to the emergency room. They do all the runs. And I'm like, this is such BS. So imagine there's me trying to tell my dad this story. So there I am at the hospital, I don't have my phone. I have no phone numbers. I don't, I can't get ahold of anybody. I'm stuck at the ER. In scrubs, though the things that they give, you know, clothes, just whatever they give me. And I take a chance I have$100 in my wallet and my card that I have left. And I take I take a cab on a prayer that that that I'm going to have all my stuff when I get back there because I didn't have money to pay that cab driver. We get back to CBI they have my stuff thank God and I get my wallet and I have the cab driver give me back to my place. When I get to my place there's a three day notice on my door. I'm about to get evicted. So I get my last paycheck back from my job, which was like $850. And I'm like, Well, I got three days, I don't have enough to pay my rent. My family's disowned me. I'm done, because I tried to call my dad and explain to him and they thought I was full of baloney. And it was such

Alyssa Munguia: 35:18

the truth. So where was your depression on like, on the

David: 35:22

10 this point at this point, this is where I'm hitting my rock bottom. Okay, I got $850 Um, rock bottom. I'm getting kicked out of my apartment in three days. I have no job. I'm like, Screw it. I'm going to the bar, took my $150 and walked right over to the bar, which is I could throw a rock and hit it. And I convinced to having a good time. Say 40 shots. shots on me. I'm fine, everybody. Brett rounds. Let's go. Here we go. Here we go. So your last hurrah. Yeah, my last hurrah. Well, in some point, that time I blacked out. The next morning, I wake up in my apartment, and I don't have my credit card. And it had happened before, because that was my bar. I was like, oh, man, I love my credit card there. Yeah. So I get up in the morning and I'm like, Oh, my gosh, I couldn't hardly breathe. Something had happened. I thought I'd fill add. Feel like I broke my ribs. So I went back to the barn as he said his frank here. I say, Frank, I said I forgot my credit card here, man. He's like, Well, you owe me 50 bucks. I'm like, I said I had$150 on that card. I said, I said did you try to run? He's like, we tried to run it. I'm so sorry. I said, I'll just keep my card. I said, I'll get you the 50 bucks. And I'll come back and get my card. I'm, I'm so sorry. So I go back home and there I am. No money. No, nothing just sitting there. What am I going to do? So I call the crisis line. I need to get back to rehab. So I call the crisis line and scheduled myself for a ride because my family is not giving me a ride at this point. They're, they're done. Well, I forgot to mention that while I after I came back from CBI from all that happening when I came back from the hospital to my house. I'm sitting there drinking smoking weed. And my my brother has my key because they're coming to clean my apartment up. Oh. So there is my dad right behind him. And they opened the door. And there I am. Drunk. Smoking. Yeah. So the door just they look in, the door gets closed. I was told later that my dad was just in tears. Yeah, that and I could not imagine that was it. So now we're back to the where I was caught. So I call the crisis line. And I spent all day, not that day, I finished off my day that day drinking and whatnot. The next day I woke up. And I'm like, if I don't do something, I'm gonna end up on the streets. So I call the crisis line, they give me a ride to Cornerstone. And they give a good to Cornerstone, I spend my 14 days there and I'm talking to people there and they're like, Hey, have you know, the I was listening to what they're saying, you know, what am I going to do? What are they going to do after it? And the Gospel Rescue machine came up. And there was a couple other ones that came up. And this guy was really, really talking highly about the gospel rescue mission, that that's where he's going. And he's like, it's such a great place. And I can't he I guess he had left, but he was going back and he's like, he going back there is a great place. And I can't believe I left. This was another patient. This is another patient at Cornerstone that would have already been here that he had relapsed, but was coming back here. Okay. So I'm like, alright, that's where I'm going. I'm going to the gospel rescue mission. And so the 14 days came up. And it was right, right around November I on November 16. When I went to Cornerstone when I finished Cornerstone it was right around the Easter blessings. And so, yeah, Thanksgiving, yeah, Thanksgiving blessings. And so they dropped me off at four o'clock in the morning out here. And they say, you know, just wait right here. And the guys still building up the hallways like the Gospel Rescue Mission, such a great place. So they dropped us off. And it was on the 23rd. And when I when the light came up, I seen a bunch of people coming out and they're setting up cones, and they're setting up this and there's nothing of that. And I'm like I'm like well, so I go up there and they're like, Well, yeah, when they're there. We're not doing any intakes today. And I'm like, darn well, what am I going to do and so the everybody else that was there, had left there, like, I don't know where they were going. But you came with that I came with because they dropped off like six or seven of us here at the gospel cheese lilies and they all so they all bounced, I had talked to somebody. I can't remember the staff member at that time. But they were like well just just hang around. You can't hang around right here but you know here in a little bit, come back. We're having Easter blessings. You can get yourself something to eat. And we can figure something out for Are you? So that's what I do. So I went across across the street, you know, till they got everything set up, then the, the the Thanksgiving blessings opened up and I came back over. And that's when I met Barbie. And she was just a smile and it's just such a positive person. She's like, she's like, Hey, she's like, I'm welcome. You know, here, Jake's gonna come over here, we're gonna get you a plate and everything, you know, and I started telling, you know, she started telling me what they had here. And, and she started giving me You know, I was like, Well, what are the options? What can I do? She's like, well, she's like, we're not taking any intakes right now. She says, but we will be taking intakes here, you know, after this after the, this is all over here in the next day or two. She says, she just you really come here. And I was like, alright, you know, she, I don't know. Just the feeling of her, you know, welcoming. There. I am some guy coming off the, you know, off the streets before she knows. Right? And she's like, here Welcome. You know, come on in. You know, we got we got what you need. You got it here.

Alyssa Munguia: 41:02

So Barbie was your first introduction

David: 41:04

Barbie was moreschi. Absolutely.

Alyssa Munguia: 41:07

set the bar really high for all of us.

Pascal Quintero: 41:10

Definitely does

David: 41:11

big time. It was just a warm feeling that she gave me. She didn't judge me when I first came in. She treat me like a regular person. And I was like, wow, this is cool. That's awesome. And then and then not only that, I just seen the way she would treat. There was a homeless other homeless guys there. They came in and she treated all of them the same way. So I said, went sit down. They gave me a meal. And I started talking to some other stuff. I think pastor Jean was or he's not on. He's, I'm not sure if he's on staff now. But he's one of our amazing volunteers. Right? So he was there. And he's like, he's like, on pastor Jean. Can I Can I pray with you? And I'm like, sure. I've never had anybody just come up and want to pray. I mean, I need prayer. Like, please, I need every please. I need prayer right now. Because by this time, even before that, I was just like God, please, can you please help me? I need help. I can't do this anymore. My life is is is over. I have my I don't have my family. My brother that's always always been there for me through thick and thin is done. They're done with me. This is it. I need help God, please. And so I was like, yes, please pray with me. So we prayed. And I was like, Man, I just had a good feeling that I needed to be here. And my dad, he's always prayed. He prayed for me all the time. He's like, he's the only one that never ever. He's give me that unconditional love. Even when everyone else has given up on me. My dad was always there. I'm still praying for you, son, I know you need to get better. You know, because you're not realizing how many people you're hurting, you know, in your addiction, you know, because when you're in your addiction when I was in my addiction, I thought I was only hurting me why? How am I hurting you? I'm not asking you for anything, right? But I was hurting everybody around me is what I'm learning what I've learned here now,

Pascal Quintero: 43:03

the people who love you are affected by that, because they don't want to see you hurting. Absolutely. They want you happy and healthy.

David: 43:14

So I'm here at the Gospel Rescue Mission, I'm having a meal. I'm meeting all these wonderful people that work here and and then the people that are actually working here, people that are residents here, and they all seem so happy. You know, they're out there, they're they got the best song you hear. They're doing all this stuff. And they're they're not they don't feel like they look like employees, but they're actually residents here there are actually people that are under addictions like me, you know, and I still I started talking to a few of them and they're like, started telling me the different resources that y'all had here, you know, that they had a, you know, healthy relationships battlefield of the minds Bible 101. Let's see, I'm just all the dip. They had counselors here that I needed to talk to counselors, which, at this point, I was like, I need I need something, right. So they started just telling me everything's on like alright, this is what I'm going to do. So at the end of the meal, I was done. I stayed there as long as as I wanted until they finished up and then I was going to try to help them clean up and they're like, no, no, no, we got this you know, you know, we got everybody to handle and I was like all right. So I didn't know what to do after that. So what I did is I went and I went over here across across the way and just waited until the till they were doing check ins and

Pascal Quintero: 44:36

so I want to fast forward a little bit because you were intake you did come in again. Now, how long have you been clean and sober?

David: 44:43

My my sober date is April 1. So April, May, June, July, August. So right around seven months.

Alyssa Munguia: 44:52

So you came in November, but your sober date is April 1. How did that happen?

David: 44:57

Well, I came in the first time I came in And I was here for about six months. little under six months, I was just about to start phase three. And I got a really good job offer. I, I work in H fac, so I work as maintenance, but I'm really good with air conditioner. So I got a really good job offer. And so I went to my advocate Mary Kay at the time. And I was like, hey, you know, I said, I got this really good job offer. And it's really, I really feel like I need to do it. I said, I feel like I got plenty of tools that I that I've needed here. I feel like I could really do this. And she's like, well, it's not something that I'm really recommending, I really want you to finish the program. But if it's something you want to do, I can't keep you here, right? And I said, Well, you know, I just wanted to talk to you about it. So I went out, and I got a job. And I worked for about three weeks, two weeks, I worked for about two weeks. first paycheck. I work with a bunch of young guys, Hey, guy, let's celebrate. Let's go get a beer. Let's go have a beer. And I'm thinking, you know, at this point in time, I was six, you know, five months into my recovery here. I felt like I could probably have one beer with these guys. And plus, I felt a little peer pressure because I didn't want to be I want to be part of you're the new guy. I'm the new guy. I didn't want to be a part of I didn't want to be like the Oh, I'm sorry, I'm an alcoholic. And so I was like Sure, let's go. So we went and we shared all shared a pitcher of beer and and those guys were like, alright, well, you know, they're gonna take off. I'm like, Alright, so you guys. And soon as they left, I'm like, shot up a drone. Can I get a shot at the drone over here? Here we go. Yeah, because I was already started I in my mind, I felt like Walmart it. Done it. So I might as well keep it going. So I can tell at this

Alyssa Munguia: 46:42

point you thought my sobriety is already over. So let's just keep going. Just keep going might just do a good Hurrah. It was never Oh, I've been cleaned for five months. I can have a beer, just one beer and it'll be okay. What was your mentality there?

David: 46:56

My mentality was thinking that I could just have one. Okay. And then I got that good feeling. I was like, it wasn't like, Oh, I already messed up. I'm gonna keep on messing up. It was like, oh, I want to chase this. Okay, it's felt good. I'm gonna, I'm gonna go ahead. And

Alyssa Munguia: 47:08

so your thought of sobriety just completely

David: 47:12

left my mind. Until the next day. I had known what I had done wrong. It wasn't like I went on a weekend. A week binge i right away. I called Mary. The next day. The next day I called me amazing. I called Mary Kay I Kish. I actually had her phone number and I called her. And she was she didn't answer it first. But she called me back. And I said, Mary, I said, this is what happened. And I was feeling like one inch tall. I felt so bad. Because I thought I had it. It was just, I was embarrassed to call her. But I did. And she told me the most amazing thing. She said, David, she's like, don't get down on yourself. She says I didn't do it my first time. She's like, I didn't do it. My second time. She's like, I didn't even do on my third time. She says, Just get back here. She says, Get yourself right. She says you can do it. And when she told me that she didn't do it the first time or second time, but it made me feel so good. Then when I got here, I was well, I was welcomed with open arms. It was like, wow, these like no one judged me. Everyone was like, happy that I got back. You know, I'm so I'm so glad you're you're here, you know, not like, Oh, you're here again. You know? I mean, just the most welcoming thing I felt. I was expecting to feel shame, to feel like Oh, here he is. Again. I don't know what I was feeling. I was feeling embarrassed. Yeah. But not only for about that long, until people started putting their arms around me and welcome and this and that. And I mean, it just felt so good. And then, I mean, that same day, I felt comfortable ready to go again.

Alyssa Munguia: 49:00

Yeah. Because instead of feeling that shame and guilt, what we did was poor grace, Love, dignity, respect. Absolutely. And just welcomed you back in and saying, Alright, let's get going again. Let's start it over. And now here we are. How many months did you say 7777 months forward? And you're going through the Genesis process and you're working on that relapse prevention? What is your relationship with your family look like now?

David: 49:32

Got my relationship right back with my daughter. We're she in fact, I just had lunches to this Sunday. And I gotta I have a grandbaby and my dad has always been there for me. I talked to my dad every day. Good. Um, my little brother is still upset. Yeah, he's still not not talking to me. He's still just waiting for me to to do better. You know, and I totally get that like, I Got a lot, I burned his bridge I key was the one that was always there was picked me up when I was out on the side of the street to take me right went out of his way missed work just to get me to where I needed to be. And I let him down. Yeah. So I'm still working on that relationship with my little brother. But I'm sure in due time it's going to come around.

Alyssa Munguia: 50:22

Absolutely. God is it got a reunification 100 person? Yes.

David: 50:26

And at first, I was a little disappointed that I had to start all over. But I've realized, after you know, praying and whatnot that me starting over, has gave, when I went started over with all these other new people starting in, I had the Intel, I had my story to tell them, hey, because it's happened, these guys are wanting to get go off and get a job. And I was like, Okay, well, before you do, listen to what happened to me.

Alyssa Munguia: 50:50

So you got to use your experience in your tests more than once. That's amazing.

David: 50:56

Yep, I've got to tell them, Okay, before you do listen to this, this is what happened to me. But before I leave this time, this is what I'm going to do, I'm going to make sure that I have a church to go to, I'm going to make sure I have meetings to go to, I'm going to make sure that I have an exit plan, I'm not just going to take off and not have fellowship or a church to go to or meetings to go to when I leave, I have to have that this time. And they're like, you know, that's what I didn't think about first time. And it's helped them because they're still here,

Alyssa Munguia: 51:26

that is such an asset, I'm going to start crying, it is such an asset to us, as an organization that all we want to do is create a place for people to find God. And sobriety comes along with that. And so to have the support of our guests, we're not doing it alone, you're doing it with us, and we couldn't do it alone, we need your testimony to you, especially those young bucks, you know, those 20 to 24 year old boys who think oh, you know, I've got five months clean and sober, I got this, I'm gonna go out, I'm gonna get a girlfriend, I'm gonna go get a job. So thank you for being willing to share that. And for being so transparent with the people that we're serving, because we're all serving alongside each other. And that is just such an asset to us. So thank you. Yeah.

David: 52:21

And another thing, the other thing that I also felt that I have to make sure that I mentioned it when I came here to you, it's not, it's not just a job to you guys. You guys really care about us. And we feel that I feel that, okay. It's not you guys actually care about what happens sometimes in a lot of other cases. You guys care more about our recovery than then we do? And I'm certainly, and it gets real, probably frustrating for you. But I noticed that, you know, it's not just a job for you guys. It's your passion. And absolutely, and I really appreciate it. And thank you so much for that.

Pascal Quintero: 52:59

Thank you for saying that. Yeah, one of the things that we have discovered is that, you know, those 30 day programs, they aren't enough, 60 days, 90 days, it's not enough to change your mindset to learn all the tools that you need to learn. So that's why our recovery program is a year long. And it's gonna take that commitment to really turn things around. But from what I'm hearing from you, is, I'm hearing that transition. I'm hearing that new way of life that you're walking not only are you walk in it, but as Alissa pointed out, you're sharing that with those around you. Beautiful, it's,

David: 53:39

it's awesome. And they let me keep my music here. They didn't take that for me. So, I mean, music is a big part of my life.

Pascal Quintero: 53:46

And no, no, they gave you a guitar and, and everything

David: 53:51

I needed. Yeah. And I'm able to, to worship with it to play music for God. And to share that with somebody and there's been many times I will be playing in the midline. And people will be like, thank you so much, you know that I needed that. Or even just today. I'm Alicia in the kitchen, you know, she's had a tough time with, with her nephew passing away and she said, Will you please come in and play a song for me so I can, you know, feel better. And you know, and it just it it touches people and they've let me do that

Alyssa Munguia: 54:22

music absolutely has a way of being a medicine for some people.

David: 54:26

Absolutely. And it's definitely a coping mechanism for me that it's amazing. This

Pascal Quintero: 54:32

has always been a part of your life. It's always been a piece of you. So one of the things I want to touch on here is that this is mental health awareness month. And you talked a lot about depression depression was a big part of your story and what led to your drinking in the first place. And where do you stand now with that battle in depression?

David: 54:58

Oh, you don't? I still have depression. But I've learned how to work with it. I've learned how to let a lot of things go, you know, to give them give them to God, you know, as I've learned that I can forgive myself, that I am a good person, and that I can strive forward and be a good person and not have to carry any guilt for anything that I've done with my drinking in the past, make amends. You know, still, you know, my daughter is 2323 years old, she is going to be 24. And she told me, we were out to eat lunch about a month ago. And she's like, Dad, she's like, I still need you. And I'm like, what? You know, because you think they get older that they don't need you anymore, that they just, they're on with their own lives. But she told me that and it floored me. She's like, Dad, I still need you. And I was like, wow. So I just yeah, really got me when she told me that.

Alyssa Munguia: 56:08

So we went from, I've prepared my heart for you dying. Fast forward, and now we're at Dad, I still need you. Wow.

David: 56:19

Yeah. That chokes me up big time right now. Because I just, it's just

Alyssa Munguia: 56:25

the two of you. Yeah, for so long. And you are the dynamic duo. And she was there for you. And, and I think that it's a huge testament to how strong you are. And just finally realizing, okay, I do have a problem. How do I get better? How do I cope with all this,

Pascal Quintero: 56:46

right? And now you're going to be there to watch your grandchild grow. Absolutely be a part of that.

David: 56:52

And I am so excited about it. I got to see my grandbaby this weekend. And I just want to be the greatest grandfather, the greatest dad that I can be. Yeah, you know, like, I don't want to be the drunk dad, the drunk grandpa, right that we've that I have in my life I've seen, you know, the drunk uncle the drunk, I don't want to be that I want to be the best dad, the best grandpa, the best brother, the best son that I could be. For, especially for my dad, who knows. My dad's been a diabetic his whole life since he was seven. You know, my dad was said he, the doctors told him he wasn't going to live past 40 Wow, my dad is sick over 66 years old. And I just want my dad to see me doing well. I want my dad to see me sober. To say Oh, my son, my son is fine. If he ever passes, my dad is going to be able to save my time. My My son was fine when I went. Yeah, you know, and I just want that so much. I think

Alyssa Munguia: 57:53

you're you're there. And just so just keep keep on keeping on. Right? Absolutely.

Pascal Quintero: 57:59

So any final thoughts that you have, Alicia,

Alyssa Munguia: 58:02

I'm just it's been a joy to watch your journey. Um, you know, it was, it was wonderful to see you come back with a little bit of timidness for just a second. And then you got right into the groove of things. And I could see you feel loved and feel welcomed. And, again, I just want to really pound in how much I appreciate what you are doing for the guests that are here by sharing your struggles and your story. And then for whoever is going to be listening to this podcast as well. You know, it doesn't just stop within our four walls. Who knows who's going to hear this on the other side of the country on the other side of the world. And your story is going to allow them to stop and and think what should my next step really be? So thank you for your transparency and for your willingness to come and share. And I hope you have pictures of that grandbaby because I really want to see I do

David: 59:04

actually. Thank you. And really I

Pascal Quintero: 59:07

just want to close with if you're going to be in Tucson on November 23. Please join us for a Thanksgiving dinner. You know, not only we have the tent set up and a banquet for Turkey and all the stuffings but if you just want to drive through and get some resources, get some help. But also, you can stop in and talk to us find out what we're all about. If you need help in any way, you let us know. We'll see what we can do.

David: 59:37

I'll be there come and ask me anything you want to ask me.

Alyssa Munguia: 59:40

I know he'll be the one with the guitar. I'm sure

David: 59:44

I'll be out there help and I'll be one of the ones with the vests on and if you have any questions or concerns I I'm fine. I can't answer him. I can definitely point you in the right direction. And if you want prayer as well.

Pascal Quintero: 59:57

If you would like to support our ministry or if you'd So someone who needs help in the Tucson area please give us a call at 520-740-1501 or visit us online at grm tucson.com Thank you