“Anyone who looked at me would probably think I was successful,” Dave suggests when recalling his life in 1990. He owned a grocery store in Boothbay with his wife. His days were long, filled with work, and his evenings were spent dining out with friends or taking walks along the coast. Although Dave seemed to have it all, behind the scenes his marriage was strained, and he was silently struggling with his mental health.

At 31 years old, Dave was hospitalized due to a severe injury and his declining mental health. Upon receiving treatment and counseling, Dave was discharged, only to face a divorce, the sale of his business, and a financial nightmare of IRS bills and mounting debt.

After months of struggling to make ends meet without a steady job or a place to call home, Dave found himself seemingly out of options. One night in 1991, with nowhere else to turn, Dave called the Brunswick Police Department. They directed him to Tedford Housing’s emergency shelter, and to his immense relief, they had a bed available that same evening. Though it’s been over 30 years, Dave vividly recalls the weight lifted off his shoulders that night — knowing he could anticipate his next meal and count on having a place to lay his head.

At Tedford Housing, a case manager noticed Dave’s struggles, particularly with his eyesight due to his injury, and arranged for his first eye exam and a pair of glasses — all without adding to his financial burdens. This support was crucial in helping Dave regain the independence and stability he had lost.

After about a month at Tedford’s shelter, Dave completed his Housing Action Plan, including moving out of the shelter and into a trailer in Phippsburg. He got a job at the local Shaw’s, started paying off his debts and putting away savings. He attended Celebrate Recovery meetings, where open-minded, encouraging attendees shared their “hurts, hang-ups and habits.” In a moving coincidence, meetings took place on a road that shared his last name, affirming that he was on his personal path to rebuilding.

As Dave explored new hobbies, he joined a line dancing class where he met a woman who became his dance partner, a compassionate listener, and eventually, his wife of 30 years. Together, they raised two children and built a fulfilling life. Around the age of 40, Dave decided to go back to college, where he earned both his degree and a master electrician’s license. Today, he runs his own electrical company and lives in a house he built on the same parcel of land where his trailer once stood in Phippsburg. Reflecting on his journey, Dave says he is “rich in relationships and experiences.”

Dave acknowledges the depths of his past hopelessness and wants to encourage those facing similar challenges. “Finding yourself homeless — it could happen to anyone. A bad relationship, bills, or just a lack of family support can all be out of a person’s control,” he explains.

Dave credits Tedford Housing for being there at his lowest point without judgment. “Tedford’s shelter was there for me at a time in my life when I needed the most help. They didn’t judge me. They gave me a spot to lay my head and eat my meals,” he recalls.

Today, sharing his story is part of his healing process, something he has been working on for more than thirty years. What was once a source of shame has become a testament to his resilience. Each time he tells his story, he feels less shame and more freedom. Now, he says he is honored to share his journey, hoping it inspires others to believe that their setbacks, even catastrophic ones, can be overcome in time.

Katrina Webster is the development and communications associate at Tedford Housing.