God ‘redefines’ Rey’s future

Rey’s addiction kept him isolated, but he’s now found community and learned how to ask for help.

Rey described his childhood with painful honesty: “We were a functioning family with dysfunction.” Raised in a middle-class home alongside five siblings, Rey experienced instability early in life. Although his father provided well for the family, he struggled with alcoholism and eventually left when Rey was 9 years old. Before leaving, his addiction manifested through domestic violence against Rey’s mother, leaving deep emotional wounds on the entire family. Rey and his siblings were later diagnosed with PTSD because of the trauma they endured.

“I had a feeling of helplessness and resentment towards my father,” Rey said. “The violence led me to try marijuana at just 8 years old. It was calming and it helped mellow out my mind with what I witnessed my mom suffer, both physically and financially, at the hands of my father.”

Wanting to help his now struggling single mother pay bills, Rey began selling drugs when he was 9, hiding the truth by telling her he earned money washing cars and mowing lawns. As he grew older, drinking and cocaine use became part of his life.

Despite his addictions, Rey managed to maintain what appeared to be a stable life for many years. He held steady employment, attended church, married, and became the father of three children.

But beneath the surface, addiction continued to grow. By his mid-30s, Rey was addicted to crystal meth.

“My wife and I left the church, and it started wreaking havoc on our lives to the point of separation,” Rey said. “When I look back on it, I put a lot of blame on myself because I should have led my family back to our church and our faith. I feel like I fell short of that.”

After his ex-wife went to prison, Rey was devastated when he could not gain custody of his children. The isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic deepened his struggles, leading him to heroin and eventually fentanyl addiction. He lost both his home and his job.

Today, however, Rey’s story is no longer defined by addiction alone. At the Mission, Rey said he has found “stability and a foundation to build off again.” He has reconnected with one of his daughters and hopes for reconciliation with his other children as well. He is now focused on building healthy, stable relationships and recognizes that part of his “downfall” was isolating himself and failing to ask for help while struggling with addiction.

Looking ahead, Rey is eager to return to work as an engineer and continue walking in God’s redemption in his life.

“I want to use my skills from my past but have the Lord redefine my future. God has to be the foundation of my life like He was in the beginning.”