Christian was eight years old when his dad was killed in a car accident. “I still remember my grandpa coming over about two or three weeks after my dad had passed,” Christian says. “He had a set of golf clubs in his hand. He said, ‘This is something that your Dad and I used to do when he was younger and I would love to give you that same opportunity that he had.’”
From that moment on, Christian fell in love with the game of golf. He says, “From lesson number one, tournament number one, any time on the golf course, I just loved it!”
Christian’s grandfather played in every father-son tournament with him until he was 18 years old. However, even with this support, Christian says, “I always was kind of looking for something more.”
In his searching, Christian turned to drugs. “I was about 21 when all of a sudden the parties had to last longer. I did six years of opiates. It started with pain pills and ended up with heroin.
“I literally couldn't stop. I was completely hooked at a level that I never thought was possible.”
As Christian’s addiction spiraled out of control, it took him to lengths he never dreamed possible. “I remember breaking into my mom's room, finding the place that she held jewelry, and actually taking the wedding ring that was taken off my dad's finger when he passed away,” Christian says.
“I pawned it for drug money.”
He came home one day to see a duffel bag at the front door. Sitting on top was a New Testament and a phone number for Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission. In his mom’s handwriting, the little note said, “No one else can help you. You know who to turn to.”
When Christian first got to the Mission, he was lost, broken, and life was dark. But hope began to awaken as he found healing through the Men’s Recovery Program.
“I've been sent on a trajectory of purpose and passion for life. It has literally just changed life to the nth degree for the better,” Christian says.
Today, Christian is over six years clean and he just celebrated his three-year wedding anniversary with his wife! Christian attributes where he is in life today to both the help and support he received through the Mission and adhering to God’s guidance.
Now a Regional Director for Alpha USA, Christian says, “My job is to support the local church and give people that safe place to meet Jesus and explore the Christian faith.”
