Ryan

Ryan was trafficked as a boy.

He grew up in an extremely abusive home and did whatever he could to get out of the house and avoid repeating. This meant he often found himself stealing and shoplifting to survive. After several run ins with the police he found himself in juvenile court.  It was the, in the bathroom of the juvenile court building- a place where children should be protected – he was approached by a trafficker.

“He offered me $50 to meet him later that night. I really didn’t have a choice. The police could take me home to get beat up or I could spend the night on the streets in 20 degree weather.“

Reluctantly, out of desperation, Ryan met that man who exploited and abused him. This arrangement continued and soon grew to include other men and hard drugs.

Ryan was only 13 years old.

The next decade was a blur. Ryan recalls several times interacting with police and social service agencies. He told them exactly what was happening in his life but he was not believed. He got the sense that people assumed he wanted this life. Instead of getting the help he needed Brian spiraled in a cycle of abuse, addiction, and exploitation.

Hearing on the streets that a place called Emmaus could help, Ryan came to the Drop-in Center for the first time on Christmas Day. The people there did more than help him; they loved him. He hadn’t felt real love in years. He started working with the people at Emmaus to get his life back together. He went into rehab, started going to church and studying the Bible, and he even got baptized. He started mending many of the broken relationships in his life and committed to becoming the father he never had.

Today, Ryan lives with his wife and daughter on the northeast side of Chicago. He’s had the same apartment and has been clean and sober for years. His two main goals in life now are to watch his daughter grow up and to become a restaurant manager. He’s in a program to help him get licensed as a restaurant manager, and he hopes to find a management job in the next year.

“I feel happier today. Even with everything that’s gone on, I feel like I want to get up every morning. I thank Emmaus for that. I always feel safe coming here. I’ve always felt that I have friends here I can count on.”