1. Charlotte Rescue Mission graduate, Sue Anderson
I knew recovery and God worked
Sue Anderson’s Story
Sue Anderson has a lot to be thankful for, after a long, hard-fought battle with drugs and alcohol.
“I have more self esteem and more confidence,” said Sue. “I just have a life that I know is
appropriate.”
Sue’s life got off to a rough start, growing up in what she called “a dysfunctional family,” and being
abused by both parents.
And even though she considered her home a Christian home, she grew up with a fear of God.

2. “I never considered him as a loving God. I never saw him as that,” said Sue. “I figured that because I
was never good enough for my parents, or measure up to their standards, that I was going to Hell.”
Sue’s parents kicked her out of their home when she was 17 because she started dating an older man
who was in a motorcycle club. During that relationship, Sue was introduced to drugs and alcohol for
the first time.
“I think I knew from the first time I drank, that I was an alcoholic,” said Sue. “I enjoyed not thinking
of my past. I enjoyed not thinking about my future. I’ll be honest, it was fun at the beginning.”
From there, Sue’s life started spiraling out of control. She could not hold on to a job or maintain a
relationship because of drugs. It would later cause her to lose custody of her two children.
Sue moved out west to Lake Tahoe in the mid-90’s, where she stopped using crack, but kept drinking
alcohol. She found a job, but had to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings to keep it.
“My first AA meeting I went to, I was drunk. I brought a beer with me,” said Sue. “I had no idea what
to expect from it.”
She would eventually clean herself up. She stayed sober for over two years, until she met a guy who
was in Narcotics Anonymous. He would later introduce Sue to methamphetamines.
“I thought I could handle meth because I’m only an alcoholic,” said Sue. “That’s how our mind lies to
us.”
Sue would become addicted to meth for over 2 years. She also ended up in an abusive relationship
with the man who introduced her to the drug.
“I was severely abused and tolerated it because I was addict to meth,” said Sue.
She eventually left and stayed at a women’s shelter, hoping to get her life back on track. Ninety days
into the program, that same abusive boyfriend called, wanting her back.
“Because he loved me and wanted to talk about the relationship. And of course, he brought meth and
of course, I did it,” said Sue. “Nobody held a gun to my head, or anything like that. This was my
choice.”
By 2004, Sue moved to Charlotte to live with her sister. She found a job and stayed sober for over
seven years.
Sue would eventually be laid off and she became depressed when she could not find work.
“I lost faith in God again. I felt that God had abandoned me,” said Sue. “So one day, someone passed
me a joint and I took a hit, without even thinking about it.”
The joint led her back to alcohol and once again, Sue was hooked. She lost her home and ended up at
the Salvation Army in Gastonia, where she tried to kill herself.
The Salvation Army would later refer her to Charlotte Rescue Mission. Sue arrived at the Dove’s Nest
Women’s Program in June of 2013, feeling optimistic.
“I wanted to be here,” said Sue. “I was a little bit hopeful because I knew recovery and God worked.”

3. It took a while for Sue to get out of her comfort zone and get used to the rules at Dove’s Nest. She
said the love and support from the counselors and fellow residents helped her get through the
program.
Today, Sue is working for a major finance company. She’s a regular at church and her AA meetings.
She even comes back to Dove’s Nest to talk to current residents.
“I’ve had struggles since I’ve been out. It’s not been all roses,” said Sue. “However, I maintain my
faith in God. I maintain my faith in what the Dove’s Nest has taught me. And I maintain my faith in
the people who love me.”
http://charlotterescuemission.org/the-beacon-page-2/
“God put me here for a reason”
Will Caine’s Story
“Basically, it tasted good. It felt good.”
What felt good to Will Caine was actually destroying him. Drinking had become the norm while
growing up with two alcoholic parents in Virginia.
“I struggled with alcohol pretty much from the first time I ever drank,” said Will. “I was always
thinking about the next drink. As I grew up, it progressed.”
It progressed from drinking regularly with friends and co-workers, to heavy drinking everyday by
himself.
“I would throw up and keep drinking, pass out, wake up and keep drinking,” said Will. “I burned all
my bridges and lost so many jobs.”
Will hit rock bottom when he found himself in a local motel with just his car and the clothes on his
back.
“I was in a motel room, drinking about as much as I could possibly drink,” said Will. “And I just had
this realization that you have to do something.”
He reached out to his friend Charles who gave him some advice that would change his life. Charles
suggested that Will go to Charlotte Rescue Mission.
“I knew I had to do something to change my life,” said Will. “What I had been doing in the past, it
wasn’t cutting it. I couldn’t do it on my own anymore.”
Will didn’t want to be at the Rescue Mission at first. He said he was nervous and didn’t know what to
expect, but fellow residents reached out to him and made him feel comfortable.
“There were so many factors in that place that helped me become stronger and become the person I
am now,” said Will. “One of the things I never had in the past was a lot of faith. The hole that was in
me was filled with God.”

4. Will has been sober for three years since graduating from Rebound. He still keeps in contact with his
mother and he is planning a vacation with his brother.
Will landed a job with Print Management Group in Charlotte. They just so happen to print The
Beacon newsletter he is currently featured in.
“I was floored. As soon as I saw that, I knew that God had put me here for a reason,” said Will. “I
couldn’t ever really thank [Charlotte Rescue Mission] enough for doing what they do. It’s such an
amazing program.”
http://charlotterescuemission.org/the-beacon-fall-2014/
Charlotte Rescue Mission graduate, Samuel Parson
“I am a Miracle”
Samuel Parson’s Story
Samuel Parson is thankful to be spending this Thanksgiving in his new apartment with family,
friends and most importantly… drug-free.
“Material stuff never meant a whole lot to me, but in this one year, I got 2 vehicles, a bicycle, a
moped and a lease on an apartment, said Samuel. “Gratitude is a beautiful thing. If you got
something to be thankful for, that means something really good has happened to you.”

5. The 57-year-old started drinking at an early age because his parents ran a speakeasy in the
neighborhood. As Samuel got older, the drugs got harder.
“We thought it was funny because it made us laugh,” said Samuel. “When the controlled substances
came into play, it wasn’t funny anymore.”
Samuel says drugs ruined his marriage. And for over 20 years, he lived a vagabond lifestyle, going
from place to place, working for a traveling carnival. During that time, he was also in and out of jail
and rehab facilities.
Realizing he wasn’t getting any younger, Samuel was ready for a change after 40 years of using drugs.
It was through word of mouth that Samuel heard about Charlotte Rescue Mission and decided to
enroll in the Rebound Men’s Program.
“When I got to Rebound, my mind was already made up,” said Samuel. “I knew this was my last
chance for sobriety. After about a couple of weeks, I realized that this was a good place.”
Residents receive a ministry assignment after 30 days in the program, but Samuel went the extra
mile and volunteered to work in the kitchen, during those first 30 days. And when he was given his
ministry assignment, naturally, it was in the kitchen.
Since graduating from the Rebound Men’s Program in 2013, Samuel has parlayed his kitchen skills
into a job at a local bakery. He’s even help other Charlotte Rescue Mission graduates land a job
where he works.
“I see what the program do for others, not only for me,” said Samuel. “I see the miracles that happen
to people. After 40 years of active addiction, I am a miracle.”
http://charlotterescuemission.org/the-beacon-winter-2014/
Survival Mode: Catharine’s Story
Catharine Phifer was living the life. She was a successful bank executive, living in Charlotte and was
happily married with children.
But an unfortunate turn of events sent her life spiraling out of control. Her mother passed away
around the same time she divorced her husband.
Friends introduced Catharine to crack cocaine. And she instantly became addicted, turning to the
drug as a way to escape the pain.
“I couldn’t handle mom’s death and I just used that to block out reality and numb myself,” said
Catharine. “I ended up in the streets, in the legal system. I had no hope and no fear of anything,
which was a really dangerous place. Death would have been a blessing at that point. That’s how bad it
was.”
The only thing that kept her going was her need to feed her addiction.
“It was complete survival mode. Nothing was important,” said Catharine.” Food wasn’t important.
Shelter wasn’t important. The only thing that was important was staying high and blocking out
reality. Whatever means necessary was how I survived.”

6. After spending five months in jail, Catharine was referred to the Dove’s Nest women’s program of
Charlotte Rescue Mission.
“That gave me enough time to pretty much save my life, to get my head clear enough to realize that I
wanted help and that there was hope,” said Catharine. “They welcomed me with open arms. They
showed me a lot of love. They believed in me and showed me that there was no judgment and that
there was help. It just made a world of difference.”
The 37-year-old quickly took to the program. She said she learned a lot about her addiction and her
recovery.
“I made mistakes, but I wasn’t a mistake. I made bad choices, but I wasn’t a bad person,” said
Catharine. “It gives you something to fill that void that you may have tried to fill with drugs and it
helps you be whole again.”
Since graduating from Dove’s Nest in August of 2013, Catharine’s life is starting to come back around
full circle. She has regained relationships with children and family. And she hopes to someday work
in the recovery field, helping others overcome their addiction.
“I’m in the process of getting my life back together slowly but surely,” said Catharine. “It’s all coming
together. It’s wonderful.”
http://charlotterescuemission.org/newsletter/the-beacon-summer-2014/
Rebound Graduate, Mike Baity
When God closes one door…
Not long after Mike Baity graduated from the Rebound men’s program, his sobriety was quickly
tested with the urge to have another drink.

7. “I ain’t going to lie. I came very, very close to giving up and taking a drink,” said Mike. “I was so
close, I was just shaking. I was so distraught.”
Mike’s near relapse happened after he thought he was close to landing a new security job, but was
later denied.
Feeling heartbroken, Mike called his sponsor. He came back to Charlotte Rescue Mission, where he
was staying while he looked for work. He said he was able to ease his stress by talking to his
counselor and fellow residents.
But when Mike first started the program in 2013, he told his counselor he did not plan to stay long.
“By December 15th, I’m going to be gone from here. I’m not going to graduate,” said Mike. “But God
spoke to me and told me to stay.”
The 59-year-old had been in and out of recovery programs, prior to coming to the Rescue Mission.
Alcohol had ruined two marriages and his relationship with his family.
“Nobody in my family wanted anything to do with me,” said Mike. “It was not that they didn’t love
me, they didn’t know when I was going to explode.”
Mike found himself living with two other men in an abandoned house in Gastonia. They had no
electricity and water. But they were able to pass the time with heavy drinking.
Looking for a better situation, Mike ended up at Charlotte Rescue Mission.
He said he finally learned to let go and stop fighting recovery.
“I think for the first time at Rebound, I got the discipline I didn’t get throughout my life,” said Mike.
Despite his earlier prediction, he actually went on to graduate in December. Since then, he has slowly
started to reconnect with family. Three of Mike’s four daughters keep in touch. And his sister invited
him to her 50th wedding anniversary celebration, which he attended.
When God closes one door, he opens another. Just a few weeks after one job loss nearly caused Mike
to relapse, he was able to find work with another Charlotte security company.
He said he owes his turnaround and continued recovery to Rebound.
“I do believe God has his hand on this place and the people here,” said Mike. “It’s just miraculous.”
http://charlotterescuemission.org/newsletter/the-beacon-summer-2014/

8. Dove’s Nest Graduate, Deborah Dawson
Studying For Success
Deborah Dawson’s Story
“I just love life today.”
Things could not be better for Deborah Dawson. She has been clean for over two years, since
graduating from Charlotte Rescue Mission’s Dove’s Nest women’s program. And she’s back in the
classroom, studying to become a substance abuse counselor.
Deborah said she was always a smart student, making straight A’s while growing up in Beaufort, SC.
After living under the very strict rules of her mother, Deborah was ready to break out on her own
when she became old enough.
She moved to New York and found a job with an insurance company. And that’s when drugs came
into the picture. Deborah started using marijuana, developing a $5 a day habit.
“Back in those days, it was fun. It was experimental,” said Deborah. “I was working, had my own
apartment and I was no longer under my mom’s rule.”
When the big city became too much for her, she moved back to South Carolina and back under her
mother’s strict household, but rebellion set in.
“I don’t think she knew about the drugs. I concealed them as much as I could,” said Deborah. “Things

9. just took a turn for the worst. I just felt like my life was going nowhere. Harder drugs started coming
into the picture and that’s when life just really spiraled out of control.”
Deborah moved back and forth between South Carolina, Atlanta and New York, all while her drug
addiction was growing stronger.
The birth of her daughter and a close call with prison made Deborah realize she really needed help.
She had tried several different rehab programs.
“I knew the drugs were the issue. It was the cause of me being stuck in pain,” said Deborah. “I’ve
made several attempts at getting clean, but it was never because I wanted to stop. It was because I
wanted the pain and misery to stop.”
Deborah had heard of Dove’s Nest through a friend who had been through the program. She arrived
in March of 2012.
“I learned a lot about myself. I had a lot of hate and remorse because things didn’t go my way in life,”
said Deborah. “Once you know what the problem is, then you know what to start working on to do
things differently. And that’s what Dove’s Nest has done for me.”
Deborah graduated from Dove’s Nest in August of 2012. And while she’s taking classes at Central
Piedmont Community College, she’s also working at Dove’s Nest as a facility technician. She’s feels it
is her way to give back.
“When I look at these women, I can see their pain. I can feel their pain,” said Deborah. “And I try to
encourage them as much as I can because I know the program works.”
http://charlotterescuemission.org/the-beacon-fall-2014-page-2/