The next right thing

Greg grows like his gardens: one day at a time

Greg felt like he had things under control. A single parent of two boys, he had never lacked work as an operations manager for local companies. Though he lost his second wife to an overdose four years ago, Greg believed his own struggle with addiction was manageable.

In the fall of 2006, Greg was in an accident that crushed his leg, disabling him for a prolonged period of time. During his rehabilitation, other health complications arose that caused his doctor some concern. After further testing, he learned on April 17th, 2006 not only that he was HIV-positive, but that he already had full-blown AIDS.

His doctor's findings were grim, suggesting Greg had been living with AIDS for some time, given the progression of the disease in his body.

"I was devastated by the news at first," says Greg, "but my faith in God allowed me to seek out the options available to me, as well as meeting other people who had been living with HIV/AIDS for many years. It was the first time I had ever had to seek assistance from outside my family to provide for myself."

The idea of being so dependent on others was a real challenge for Greg to overcome in his initial time at Samaritan House. "I remember walking through the door on Jennings Street, thinking, 'What have I got myself into?' " says Greg.  "What I learned quickly is that everyone was extremely eager to help me in any way possible."  His discussions with two of the residents helped him feel comfortable with all the changes he had to face in a short period of time, helping him realize that this was not something he had to face alone.

Greg started a regular regimen of HIV medications. Though he was physically unable to work full-time, he felt the urge to get involved in the Samaritan House community as a volunteer. "I was able to volunteer my time here in the garden and began to get involved with other residents and staff in the community," says Greg. "That led to my job as Resident Advisor and later Landscape Coordinator for The Villages at Samaritan House."

These days, Greg feels he is an integral part of the Samaritan House team. He recently saw his efforts come to fruition at the dedication of both the Seeds of Hope and Harvest of Hope community Gardens, and he has played a pivotal role in creating and developing the new Hope Works program, which helps other residents return to employment. In the process of helping others, Greg is learning when to ask for help for himself as well.

The key to Greg's continued health and success is in maintaining his commitment to recovery. As long as he works his twelve-step program every day, he feels it is a challenge he is ready to meet. "Putting one foot in front of the other and doing the 'next right thing' (a common twelve-step saying) has made the path fairly smooth."

Greg is still not satisfied with the recent success of the programs with which he is involved at Samaritan House. He aspires to help the Hope Works program grow, empowering more people living with HIV to return to work, partnering with local businesses in the process, to strengthen community development. In the long term, he envisions a multi-acre farm outside of town, where the initial garden program developed through Harvest of Hope can help residents, in Greg's own words, "to connect with themselves, the community, and the Earth and continue on their recovery journey."