Zoey Arel
Introduction: For my journalism class, we were tasked with picking a topic and writing multiple stories about it. For my topic I decided to cover homelessness, specifically in my area of Manchester, New Hampshire. For this piece I interviewed a man who was once homeless. He said he had prayed for God to bring someone to tell his story—so that’s what I did; I told his story.
Five Numbers mean New Beginnings: One man’s recovery from homelessness.
Manchester, NH—Richard Bernier grinned from ear to ear as he filled out his personal information on a form. He paused for a moment, and then wrote down five numbers that he hasn’t had for a long time. For the first time in three years, Richard Bernier has a zip code.
Richard “Richie” Bernier, could once be found living on the streets of Manchester, New Hampshire. He had no home. He had no belongings. He had no hope. Just fourteen months ago, every new day was a burden to him. Now, Bernier wakes up every morning and “thank[s] God” for the blue sky and the sunshine.
Bernier never anticipated he would be homeless. Living on Massabesic Lake just outside Manchester, he had a loving family and a good education. But the high school years were the most formidable. Bernier felt like any high schooler—left out. He started hanging around the “cool” crowd—partying, drinking, and doing drugs. This led to a long battle with addiction. His attempt to fit in would eventually lead to even more isolation.
For a while, Bernier was clean. He realized his problem after a fatal drunk driving incident landed him in prison. However, after eleven years of sobriety, Bernier fell back into old habits when a Percocet prescription turned into an addiction. “I didn’t know I was addicted,” says Bernier. The ignorance toward addiction is common among most. And like any addiction, it had to be satisfied. Like anyone struggling with addiction, Bernier began using cocaine to satisfy the need. According to the American Addiction Centers, about 966,000 Americans over the age of 12 battled with a cocaine use disorder in 2017. Because of his disorder, Bernier went as far as selling his house to feed his need. Soon alleys and porches became what he knew as “home.”
“Nobody would even let me on their couch. Two winters ago, I was in the deepest darkest place I have ever been. It was like digging a hole twenty feet deep and climbing in with no way out…. I thought I was going to freeze to death beside a dumpster,” recounts Bernier. The winters are especially hard for the homeless. Bernier connects the winters in New Hampshire to the most difficult parts of his life—physically and emotionally. Some nights, he would go to sleep wondering if he would ever wake up again.
The homeless go through much more emotional trauma than the average person realizes. According to an article by Carol Coohey and Scott D. Easton, Depression affects the majority of those that are homeless, especially homeless men. Researchers found that about 47 percent of homeless men meet the standards for mild to severe depression. Bernier could fall in with those statistics. “I would unfortunately wake up,” says Bernier, describing his mental state during homelessness. “That’s sad when you don’t want to wake up. I gotta beg for food, go steal in a store. Everyone would look down on me. I didn’t know or think I would end up homeless.” Bernier grew depressed not just because of his living conditions, but because of the treatment he received from those passing by. “That depression started to set in at night. And it was more in the morning because I knew it would be like ground hog day.”
But after three years, Bernier got the help that he needed. He received help from Henry Demers at Harmony Home ministry. This ministry works to reestablish the homeless and set them up for success. “God got my attention…. I could not have kept living like I was living.”
Demers worked hard to get Bernier into a rehabilitation facility. According to Demers, Bernier “looked like death the day I dropped him off…. He was like a shell. No desire to live anymore,” Demers and the rehabilitation program gave Bernier a new hope and a new start. Demers continues, “Today he is full of life, giving back; Helping others find recovery, serving at Harmony Home and just on his own, helping people he sees on the street.”
Now, Bernier walks the streets for a different reason. Instead of looking for food, he’s handing it out. Bernier, now established with a studio apartment, goes out on the streets daily, encouraging the homeless he meets. “They [people on the street] used to see me and they would scatter. Now they see me and they come.… Today, I just go up the street and smile, and put my hand out and give someone a hug.”
As a new Christian, Bernier gets up early in the morning to faithfully attend his Alcoholics Anonymous meeting at 6:30 a.m. He spends the rest of his days volunteering at Harmony Home ministry as well as at local churches in his area. “I get up in the morning; I hit my knees and I thank God for good and the bad. I make coffee and look at the beautiful blue sky. I say, ‘Thank you, Jesus!’” Bernier notes that the key to his stability has been surrounding himself with people that love him and have the same goals—loving others and loving Jesus.
Bernier’s future plans are simple—stay sober and love people. As he continues to grow in his newly established life, he hopes to continue working in homeless ministry. His goal is to “just do God’s work” and continue moving forward. Currently, Bernier is simply excited for where he has been placed. “I just want to tell you, I’m so happy I have a zip code.”