Summer in the city is unbearable. 

Heat radiates off sidewalks. Humidity gets trapped between buildings, making the air thick and unbreathable. 

Last summer, Brian was stuck in the middle of it. He had become homeless and struggled to survive in one of his city’s worst neighborhoods. 

During the day, he made choices he’s not proud of so he could eat. He couldn’t find facilities to keep clean. And at night, he was forced to sleep in muggy abandoned buildings or rat-infested drug houses. 

“I was in a destitute state, just existing on the streets,” Brian admits. “Looking back on it, life was a nightmare.” 

Brian knew something had to change. He was close to his family, and he knew his actions were hurting them deeply.

Then last summer, Brian’s chaotic life came crashing down when he almost died from a drug overdose. 

“God brought me back to life—twice,” Brian remembers. That’s when the truth hit him: get help now or die. He went home, called his sister, and a few days later, took the 10-hour bus ride to Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities. 

Thanks to your help last summer, Brian has a brand-new life. You’re providing him with recovery, education, and much more. 

From now on, he wants to do the right thing, tell the truth, restore relationships, and help others. 

“I’m willing to surrender,” Brian says. “I’m going to keep becoming better by staying in that process and elevating myself spiritually and mentally.”