An overdose nearly cost Thomas his life
Before Thomas came to the Lighthouse Mission, he nearly lost his life.
After overdosing, he was found unresponsive in Puyallup and taken to the hospital in Auburn. Doctors discovered a severe staph infection in his spine. He spent two months in the hospital receiving IV treatment to fight the infection. It was a painful season, and when he was discharged, he came to Bellingham.
While at Base Camp, someone told him about the Mission’s Ascent Program. After interviewing, he was accepted into the Ascent program in October 2023.
Like every participant, Thomas spent his first 30 days adjusting to the environment before beginning the program. As he progressed through its three phases, one experience stood out.
“We do something called Genesis,” he said. “It’s a deep dive into our trauma—our dark spots, our deep grooves.”
For Thomas, it became a turning point.
“It was a life-changing experience for sure.”
He realized he had been carrying grief and trauma that he had never truly dealt with. For years, he had hidden behind what he described as a “tough guy exterior.” The program challenged him to face painful memories instead of avoiding them.
“I learned that it was important for me to let that go and to really face the things that were difficult for me to recall and to grow past.”
His healing wasn’t only emotional—it was spiritual.
“Through the Lord’s love and understanding and unconditional love, I just came to the conclusion that I was gonna be alright, just so long as I kept moving forward.”
Thomas describes his relationship with Christ as an ongoing journey.
“It’s not a one-and-done thing. It’s an ongoing process. The more I commit and the more I surrender myself to Christ, the more His presence I feel.”
Before entering the program, Thomas had spent much of his adult life working outdoors and in construction. He was a general contractor for many years. After graduating from Ascent, he was given the opportunity to join Ascent’s apprenticeship program and develop new skills.
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“I’ve been pretty much a builder,” he said. “It’s also coupled with a desire to help other people the way I’ve been helped.”
Thomas knows firsthand how fragile recovery can be. He had once been sober for 25 years before relapsing for three years.
“But once I come out of that, that desire to be clean and sober and to help other people came right back.”
Today, he says the Lighthouse Mission provides the perfect place to live out that calling.
“My very first commitment is to stay clean and sober no matter what. We have a saying: ‘No matter what happens, we just don’t pick up.'”
His next commitment is to Christ, followed by building a stable life and contributing to his community.
When asked how he would describe the Lighthouse Mission, Thomas didn’t hesitate.
“They’re in the business of saving lives. They’re in the business of restoring hope. They’re in the business of demonstrating compassion. They’re in the business of providing a platform to help people come up out of despair into hope, into belonging, into a sense of purpose.”
Looking back on everything he’s experienced, Thomas says it’s difficult to put his gratitude into words.
“God has worked through the Mission. The Mission is doing for me what I couldn’t do for myself. They provided that pretty much free of charge—with love and grace.”
“It’s hard to really articulate just how grateful I am and what an impact it’s had on my life.”