A Life Beyond My Wildest Dreams

Alex’s story is a testament to the power of moving forward through countless setbacks. Growing up in Pismo Beach, he remembers his youth fondly. He stayed out of trouble, surfed in his free time and excelled in athletics, playing basketball, football and running track. After graduation, he moved to Seaside, where, by his own account, “all my troubles started.” 

When he arrived, he saw a different side of life. Soldiers stationed at Fort Ord for basic training showed him how to party. When the base closed in 1994, Alex remembers things getting markedly worse. The local economy took a hard hit, as did Alex’s path forward. He found himself getting in trouble more and more frequently, until he eventually landed in prison. For the next few years, he’d cycle through getting released, violating his parole and returning to incarceration. 

During his last period of parole, he married a woman from Santa Cruz and moved to the area. They did well together at first, but when he fell back into heavy substance and alcohol use, things fell apart, and she made the decision to leave. 

He moved out of the apartment they shared and into an RV. He didn’t anticipate how difficult it would be to find a safe place to park it, along with the two other vehicles he owned. At the time, there were no safe parking programs in the county. As he scrambled around the county trying to find somewhere to stay, he eventually watched as each vehicle got towed away. The most painful was a classic Lincoln that was a gift from his father. “That one hurt my heart,” he recalls. 

When his RV was towed, he only had one chance to get his things out. He took whatever clothes he could carry and left the rest behind. For the first time, he was homeless and unsheltered. He has the distinct memory of walking down a local frontage road, carrying his belongings and crying. 

He hit another low when he was again arrested, this time for being intoxicated and disruptive at a motel. The arrest ended up being a blessing in disguise. Instead of going back to prison, he entered a residential treatment facility to get sober. When he got out, he began attending daily AA meetings, and for the first time in years, maintained his sobriety. 

In AA, he also met a woman who would become his long-term partner. They moved in and spent 17 years together until they parted ways on good terms. He once again found himself living out of a vehicle, but this time, he had the tools and support to keep him on track. He maintained his sobriety throughout, leaning on his 12-step community. He also had the support of AFC’s Safe Spaces program. 

He made the most of his time in the program, meeting regularly with AFC and county case managers to find housing. He also regularly joined the Faith Community Shelter for dinner and connected with volunteers from Santa Cruz United Methodist Church, where he was parking. “I really respect them,” he reflects. 

After a few months, he found a room rental and made the move into housing. But, as often happens in Santa Cruz, what seemed to be a decent opportunity turned out to be a scam. The roommate he sublet from was pocketing Alex’s rent rather than paying the landlord. Frustrated and disappointed, he returned to Safe Spaces. 

Despite the setback, he kept moving forward. More cautious this time, he began looking for rental options with his case managers. His county case manager happened to find one that included a rental subsidy, meaning he could stay long term without being overly burdened by skyrocketing rental prices. “I was lucky. The timing was just right,” he remembers.  

He’s been in the unit for a year now, and the pieces of his life have come together. He still goes to daily AA meetings, and recently celebrated 20 years of sobriety. He’s a sponsor for others in the program. He regularly attends AFC’s Welcome Home group, a peer support group for formerly unhoused individuals. He’s even taking on some managerial responsibilities at his apartment complex. 

As he reflected on what led him to this moment, he takes none of it for granted. His journey had countless ups and downs, but, thanks to a tenacious sense of hope and a little support, he loves where he has landed. “Today I feel like I have a life beyond my wildest dreams. I’m content.”