David M. suffered life threatening injuries when a wall he was working on with his landlord fell
on top of him. He remained on life support in a coma for three months. His injuries included a
collapsed lung, broken ribs, and head trauma. When David finally emerged from the coma, he
needed five surgeries, speech therapy to learn how to talk again, and physical therapy to walk
again. He made progress, but couldn’t sustain the work necessary to remain independent, so
he came to the Allentown Rescue Mission.
Once in the Emergency Shelter, David heard his peers talking about how the Transformation
Program taught men biblical and life skills, and it piqued his interest. He joined the program but
admits he didn’t like it at first. David wanted to continue doing things his way but by the third
week of the eight-week program, he started to realize that if he took the teachings to heart, his
life could change for the better.
David said he is now thankful for the little things in life, such as having toothpaste, food in his
stomach, and a warm place to lay his head. He realizes that past choices influenced his
present situation and he is working hard to overcome them, especially in regards to his family.
He has three sons, three daughters, and five grandchildren and is trying to make amends and
rebuild trust within his family.
