The one that comes to mind most recently for me is my latest halfway house project - he unraveled when his grandfather died. Everyone else in the family was irresponsible and crazy - but his grandfather was his pillar of sobriety and support.
I've mentioned that we recently constructed a new residential building to house 20+ guys. One cool thing our executive director did was install plaques with the names of notable people, such as past board members, donors, or impactful citizens, who contributed to our mission over the years. Last time I was there, I noticed that this guy I'm helping lives in a room with his grandfather's name engraved on a brass plaque above the door to his room. Just a little detail that helps keep his feet in sober living.
@Lidig8r - re: how a formerly homeless gent helped out in the flood.
Around 15 years ago, a homeless guy named Eric entered the H.O.W. Center (halfway house). I have no qualms sharing his name because he would run me over to get in front of a news camera to tell the story himself.
His mentor is a guy named Steve, and Eric credits him with saving his life. Unfortunately, several years later, Steve dies, and Eric enters a dark place. I offer a hand, he accepts, and we become very close.
Relevant - Steve leaves behind a younger wife and growing family. Several years later, his widow marries another good friend of mine, a match made in heaven. Unfortunately, one of the children is lost to the 4th of July flood.
Eric not only flourishes in business and life, but also becomes a single dad when his infant's mom dies from addiction. He eventually marries a delightful woman and builds a family.
Eric decides his life's mission is to help the homeless, and he does so very loudly for a decade. On a slow news day, send a reporter and camera to Eric, and he will provide your lead story on the 6 o'clock news.
Eric told me his pastor had asked him to start a church. Over lunch at Luby's, I asked Eric if perhaps his pastor was politely ejecting him from his church. He misses the joke. He buys a dilapidated 15 passenger van and leases a former restaurant.
The Guadalupe floods. Eric and his church/ministry "Warm Hands, Warm Hearts" descend on the Hill Country to help find the missing girl and provide disaster relief. Photo below.
I'm a cynical, suspicious skeptic, but I'll be damned if Eric isn't living his life precisely as prescribed in the New Testament.
(I just texted him to tell him how much I love and admire the man he's become, and we'll be eating lunch at Luby's again this week.)
The Flood relief crew