Tony M.
couldn’t find a job out of high school so he turned to the Marines. He served
from 1983-1987. “To be honest, Rambo was
hot, and I wanted to carry a pack and shoot a gun,” Tony said. He faced many
physical challenges such as staying in shape and the stress of the job got to
him emotionally. After serving, Tony
turned to alcohol to solve his problems. His mother, who he was living with at
the time, had terminal cancer. After she passed away, the property was sold,
and Tony knew he had to do something. He contacted the VA who referred him to
HVAF. Tony couldn’t say enough nice things about HVAF, especially about the
people who worked with him. His case manager, Brian Andree, encouraged him to
stay on track and directed him to the help. “After finding HVAF, there was a
tiny light at the end of the tunnel—something I hadn’t seen in a long time,”
Tony expressed. HVAF has given Tony time to reflect and think about his life.
Tony lives in Carson Apartments and works at the Walmart Distribution Center in
Plainfield. He is a true success story.