Mike Gets Back on His Feet and Lands a Job

Meet Mike

Mike grew up in Porter Ranch. He had a good home life and great parents. He was taught to work hard at a young age and pull himself up by his bootstraps. He went to trade school and learned how to repair HVAC units. 

Mike’s Journey

Mike was earning a good living until what he calls the hiccups came. “I was a cocaine addict and an alcoholic. Both of those were my downfall”, says Mike. This addiction led to prison time. He learned his lesson and never touched cocaine again. “The problem was I found alcohol and thought this is legal. I can do this, and I went down that same path and drank myself out of jobs,” recalled Mike.

He later found out that he had diabetes. He had an infection in one foot, lost some toes and had multiple surgeries and as a result became unemployed. He couldn’t climb up and down ladders to repair air conditioning and heating units. 

After a recent stay at Valley Presbyterian Hospital to treat another infection, the social worker told him about Harbor Care. “She was incredible. She spent time with me to learn my needs and found Habor Care for me”, says Mike.

How Harbor Helped Mike

Mike was determined to get off the streets. He recalled waking up one morning to a knife fight happening right in front of him. “Being homeless was miserable. I was trying to drink myself to death. I couldn’t care less. I wasn’t suicidal but I was more than happy to die”, recalled Mike with tears welling up. 

“I am so grateful for Harbor. I don’t know what I would have done. I would have still been on the streets and probably dead,” says Mike with a grateful smile. 

Harbor got Mike to all his doctor appointments and provided healthy meals that aided in his recovery. Harbor Case Managers helped Mike get a copy of his birth certificate and connected him with Chrysalis to assist him with his employment search. 

Mike was able to land a job as an instructor at a trade school. Although he can no longer do the physical work of HVAC repairs, he can now teach others from all the knowledge and experience he has gained over the years in this field. 

Mike can now provide for himself and not return to the dangerous streets. “I would have never had this opportunity if I hadn’t come to Harbor. That’s the honest truth,” says Mike.