When Princeton and his son’s mother drove down to San Diego from LA one day in 2017, he had no idea how his life was about to change.
The birth of Princeton’s son was unplanned; Princeton had known his son’s mother for only a few months before she became pregnant. He recalled feeling excited to become a father, but also heavy due to the nature of the situation.
In San Diego, they got into an argument over a parenting disagreement. Princeton felt tired of having no control over his own life, his role as a father, or the family life he had envisioned, so he decided to stay in San Diego on his own.
Due to his sudden change in plans, Princeton had nowhere to go and ended up living on the street, but it wasn’t long before he found direction. While in the lunch line at Father Joe’s, recruiters offered him the chance to go to school with financial aid. “I was like, ‘alright, I'm homeless on the streets. The only way I'm gonna get off these streets, I'm gonna have to start and do something positive,’” he said.
He began his program and got a job while going to school, waking up every morning at 5 a.m. to pack up his tent and prepare for the day ahead.
Some things were looking up for Princeton, but the reality of his situation did not escape him. Still homeless and dealing with his choice to leave his family, Princeton turned to alcohol to cope with the mental weight of his decision.
After some time, Princeton moved into an apartment and became sober for several years. When his mother passed away in 2021, Princeton remained steady and did not turn back to alcohol even in his grief. But two years later in 2023, he got a phone call that his brother had passed, as well. “So, then I got back to drinking and I couldn't stop. I got careless.”
Substance use disorder (SUD) overtook Princeton’s life and before long he got a DUI. His aunt, who helped raise him, passed away and his grief led him to drink at the funeral. “I got into it with my sister out there, and so she wouldn't let me sleep at her house, so my drunk self tried to drive all the way back from LA to San Diego,” he said. “I hit two cars.”
Princeton’s sister bailed him out of jail, and he was ordered to complete a six-month program at ECS ACCORD (Alcohol Counseling Community Outreach Drop-In) DUI program.
ACCORD was a positive force in Princeton’s life. “The staff there were very helpful, my instructor was very considerate of me and my peers there,” he said. “That's why I'm here right now, I'm recovered, I'm doing amazing. I know better.”
Princeton’s recovery journey had begun, but he had landed back in a state of homelessness. In 2024, Princeton was living in a large shelter. He shared that it was difficult for him to continue recovery in that environment. “A typical shelter, you're not going to get no peace there,” he said. “You can be doing everything positive... there's just too many negative distractions.”
