Paul — From Cold Nights to a Warm Home

When Paul first met Emma from Pine Street Inn’s veterans street outreach team, he wasn’t sure what to expect. “She told me she could help,” he remembers. “And she did.”

Paul grew up outside of Boston in a big family. After high school, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps with a friend. “I served for six years, traveling to Norway, Japan and across the U.S.,” Paul says. “It gave me direction when I didn’t have a plan.”

When he left the Marine Corps and returned home, Paul worked as a bricklayer. He got married and had two children, but in his late twenties, life became overwhelming. He was struggling with his marriage and the stress weighed heavily on him. “I turned to substances to cope,” he shares. “This led to my divorce and losing my home.”

After Paul’s marriage ended, he found himself cycling between recovery programs and living on the street. “At that point, I had nowhere else to go,” he remembers. “I was able to stay in recovery, but finding stable housing remained a challenge. I spent months outside — even in the winter.”

That changed when Emma stepped in. With her help, Paul moved into housing. “I went from living outside in the cold to moving into a beautiful apartment,” says Paul. “I couldn’t believe it. I still call Emma once a month just to say ‘thank you.’”

Today, Paul is rebuilding his life. He spends his days playing guitar, something he’s loved since the eighth grade, and he hopes to adopt a dog. Most importantly, he has hope for rebuilding relationships with his children.

“The biggest thing for me is feeling safe,” Paul says. “I don’t take that for granted. I’m grateful Pine Street was there when I needed them the most.”