Lee's Story

It was January of 1993.  I was in a dingy motel in Anchorage, Alaska, and I was sitting in the bathtub-fully clothed.  I reflected back on my life, and the picture was not a pretty one.  I had been blessed by being raised by a good family, and instilled with high moral standards.  I had been well educated, and I was a hard worker, by nature.  I was successful in business ventures-very successful.  I had married my high school sweetheart, and we had two beautiful children.  But something happened along the journey, and my life became consumed by alcohol, cocaine, and anything else I could find to change the way I felt.  I started to lose things.  First, I lost my wife.  She simply could not stand to watch me destroy myself.  Next, I lost my integrity.  I began to cut corners, and started breaking the law.  Then, my children went.  Finally the day came when 12 FBI agents arrived at my office in Phoenix, and took possession of all my money, and property.  In total fear of everything, I ran to Alaska, hoping I would find some king of answer.  None came-and now, I decided I wanted to lose the only thing I thought I had left, and that was my life.  But, I kept seeing pictures of my two sons in my head, and I just could not leave them with a final legacy of a dad who killed himself.

That was the day I turned myself in to the FBI, and began the process of serving the next 5 plus years incarcerated.  Three state prisons and two federal prisons later, I found my self being released.  No job, no money, nothing.  However, I did have a place to go.  A counselor from the Arizona Department of Corrections told me about the Crossroads.  I found the program of Alcoholics Anonymous while I was locked up, and I had heard that Crossroads was a place to practice AA.  I had no idea what to expect.  I had always lived in a big, fancy place.  I had always had plenty of money.  Now everything I had fit into two small boxes.

At Crossroads, I was asked to do several things.  I was expected to do chores, wash dishes, sweep floors, empty ashtrays, and clean bathrooms.  I was expected to attend 12-step meetings, and work with a sponsor.  I was expected to find a job, and pay my own way.  I thought the job thing would be easy.  I had been CEO of a fairly large corporation, I had graduate degrees, and experience.  But with my record, I found I could not even get a job as a clerk at Circle K.  I was discouraged, but I was willing to do anything, and I did.  I found part-time work at a warehouse.  I set up chairs at the Civic Center, and I became the Mail-Room boy at an insurance company.  But what was I supposed to become?  I believed that God must have kept me alive for some reason-but what was it?

One day, the people at Crossroads asked me if I would like to work there.  Me?  Work at a halfway house?  What could I possibly have to offer anyone at Crossroads?  I sure wasn’t getting any other offers, though so-why not.

Several years later, and here I am today-the Director of the Crossroads.  I do know firsthand how Crossroads changes lives.  I do know how wonderful life can actually be.  Today I have my children back.  Both of my sons were here this year for Christmas. Today I am married to a fantastic lady.  Grateful?  Look in the dictionary, and you will see my picture next to the word.  Now, I do know why God kept me alive.  God bless Crossroads, and all the wonderful people that help make our work possible.