Chavid “Charlie” Brown

Before coming to FFSC, Chavid “Charlie” Brown was heavily addicted to alcohol and drugs with no solid direction in life or motivation to improve himself.

Separated and living with his wife’s grandparents, Charlie was unemployed, not paying child support and had alienated himself from his wife. His actions and poor lifestyle choices also caused his children to abandon their relationship with him.

Desperate for change, Charlie entered rehab and attained over 2 months of sobriety through active, daily participation in Alcohol Anonymous and help from his recovery sponsor. After leaving rehab, he signed up for FFSC’s Family Formation program.

“I remember my facilitator, Mr. Tumlin, who told me, ‘Your past may be limited, but your future is spotless,’” Charlie recalled. “That stuck with me and gave me hope for a better future.” He continued: “FFSC helped me see that I was not being a responsible parent, and that I was on a path to self-destruction.”

While enrolled, Charlie learned tools to help him repair his relationship with his son Jaden and two adult daughters. He was able to find and keep a full-time job with Wilson Manufacturing and began paying child support regularly.

From FFSC’s Healthy Marriage classes, Charlie learned how he contributed to the problems in his marriage and began taking steps to make amends with his wife.

Today with over a year of sobriety, Charlie has reunited with his wife. They are living peacefully together with their son Jaden, who now invites Charlie to his high school football games.

“My relationship with my children, especially my son, has transformed into what it should’ve been all along, had I been an involved, sober, responsible parent,” Charlie admitted. “FFSC helped me with all of that.”

With over a year of sobriety, Charlie switched jobs and was hired at Barnes Jewish hospital full-time as a Maintenance Floorman, a promotion in position, pay and benefits, including tuition reimbursement. “I can’t wait to go back to school. All of this would not have been possible without FFSC in my corner; they made me believe in myself as a father and that I was capable of more than my past,” Charlie said.

When Charlie is not working or enjoying his family, he sponsors men in AA and is part of the AA St. Louis Metropolitan speaking circuit, giving presentations to alcoholics and addicts, sharing his experience, strength and hope with other parents who need help.