You Saved Manuel's Life

Manuel turned sixteen this month. For most of his life he has been surviving on the streets, caught between addiction, hunger, dangerous adults, and a cycle that was slowly destroying him. I met him in February 2025, and from that moment forward I promised myself that I would show up for him no matter what. I did not always know how to help him, and I often felt exhausted, but I knew that Manuel needed consistency more than anything.

Being consistent for someone who lives an inconsistent life is one of the hardest things I have ever done. Gerson, who entered rehab in April, showed up more often than not. Manuel was different. He could disappear for weeks at a time. Some days he arrived at my door asking for eggs or coffee, and other days he vanished without explanation. Yet I kept watching for him. I kept waiting and working to build our relationship.

Life on the streets pushes children into theft, often because adults force them to steal for them. That happened to Manuel. Twice he stole from me. Once it was cash from my backpack. Another time it was my watch and my girlfriend’s bracelet. After this he would hide from me or run when I tried to talk to him. Sometimes that silence lasted for months. His fear of disappointing me mixed with the shame of addiction slowly convinced him that he had to hide from anyone he had wronged.

There were nights I let him sleep in my house. He would come at all hours, tapping on my window long past midnight. I gave him a curfew on the nights he wanted to sleep on the couch. If he arrived late, I did not open the door. He would curl up on the concrete outside my house and sleep on my doorstep. It broke my heart every time.

Manuel needed grace, and he did not receive much of it from the world around him. Even when he was hiding from me, he would tell other people in town that he was "waiting for Michael to save him from this life." He always wanted to work for his money. He offered to clean, to take out the trash, to do whatever simple task he could. But addiction distorts priorities. Sometimes he took payment and did not return. Each time this happened he damaged his own reputation and his own confidence. It made him feel like he had to hide even more.

He is incredibly smart. He studied until fourth grade and his reading and writing are excellent. When he is sober and calm, he is thoughtful, funny, and eager to learn. There is so much potential inside him waiting for a chance to grow.

One month ago, we held the Oktoberfest benefit dinner for Project Gerson. From the moment I told Manuel that the money raised would be used to get him into rehab, he asked me about the date constantly. He counted down the days. He told people he was excited. For a boy who had spent years trapped in addiction, the idea of a real chance, a real escape, lit something inside him.

The weeks leading up to our trip were full of preparation. We bought the clothes and supplies he needed. We completed the medical exam. Manuel was nervous but hopeful.

The night before we left, he came to my house “ready for change.” While I was in the bathroom, he took my phone and ran. Addiction does this. Fear does this. After a few hours, Gerson’s brother found him on the street, talked to him, and convinced him to return to my house. When Manuel walked back in, he was shaking with anxiety. He handed me the phone and said he was ready to go for real. He apologized for leaving. He said he wanted a new life.

The next morning we left for rehab together. It was a great process and I wish I could praise them. But as I mention here, for the boys' privacy and safety I will never name their rehab center. Many boys, including Manuel, Gerson, and Samuel, leave the streets with outstanding debts, and people come searching for them via me. Since returning home on Tuesday night, I have already had three visits with demands that I pay what Manuel supposedly owes them. One of them was waiting at my doorstep when I got back in town. I still get visits from Gerson’s “creditors” asking where Gerson is so they can collect. The boys' privacy is extremely important for their safety.

Most importantly, today Manuel is safe. He is clean. He is surrounded by people trained to help him heal. He is beginning the long road toward recovery, dignity, and possibility.

This community saved his life. You gave him a chance that he never would have had on his own. Thank you for believing in these boys. Thank you for believing in Manuel and thank you for believing in Project Gerson.

Michael

michael@projectgerson.org