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​During his early adult years, Omar became a father. His son, now a teen, has always been his responsibility as the child's mother chose not to be involved. Over the years, father and son moved through unstable housing: hotels, a car, and even the streets. Sometimes the youngster stayed with his grandfather. Eventually, Child Protective Services (CPS) intervened. That marked the start of Omar's road to recovery—though he didn’t yet know the way forward.

 

THE ULTIMATUM​

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Omar wanted to be a better father and keep custody of his son. To do that, CPS required him to get sober, complete counseling and parenting classes, and secure stable housing. It felt overwhelming—especially the idea of starting at a shelter. His only image of one was a large space packed with cots and hanging sheets for “walls.” That’s where his “hard no” came from.

 

In 2021, CPS referred Omar to AFC. Bea, a fluent Spanish speaker, called him from home. “He wasn’t very nice to me,” she recalls with a smile. He clearly wasn’t ready.

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CPS tried again the following year, but Omar still resisted. Beyond the shelter stigma, he struggled with accepting help at all. Then came a final ultimatum: commit to recovery or lose parental rights for good.

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A Turning Point

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Omar agreed to meet Bea in person. Touring an available AFC unit, he realized the program wasn’t what he imagined. The space was private, clean, and dignified, but there were also rules and responsibilities. He hesitated again, took a walk around the block, and returned with a decision: “Yes, I will do this.” This was the first--and probably most difficult--step toward getting his son back.

 

While Omar went through a month of detox in 2023, his son stayed with his grandfather. Afterward, Omar moved into AFC’s Emergency Shelter and was allowed to have the youngster come for overnight visits. Omar's son went through an adjustment period too, as he had gotten used to a relatively easy life with Grandpa. At AFC, expectations applied to both of them.

 

For Omar, though, once he dropped his resistance, everything changed. He worked hard to meet the milestones CPS had set for him. He liked everyone he worked with at AFC and soaked up skills that were new to him. “I didn’t imagine I could have this life,” he says. Today, he maintains a bank account, follows a budget, pays bills, and has even reversed his diabetes through healthy food and regular exercise.

 

He’s also learned to care for his emotional health. He talks about finally developing self-esteem and allowing himself to feel emotions rather than numbing them. He rarely drinks—and if he does, it's by choice, not compulsion.

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A Dedicated Father

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Omar did so well as a client and as a father that when a unit in the Transitional Building opened up, AFC invited both father and son to move in. CPS required a safe, stable home for the youngster, and with an apartment in TB Omar regained full custody.

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Today, Omar is focused on being a present, supportive father. He accompanies his son to and from school, helps him stay on top of his studies, and encourages his athletic dreams—activities that require keeping up his grades.

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Looking Ahead

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Having graduated from AFC’s program and now living in a permanent home, Omar says everything he learned was “good for me.” Asked how he knows the change is lasting, he answers simply: he has no desire to return to a life of suffering. All he wants now is tranquility.

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Omar says he’s achieved more through AFC than he ever imagined—and the entire team is celebrating his success.

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