After being expelled from High School, Larry knew he had to change his behavior and get back on the road to rebuilding his life. That’s when he left Saginaw for Grand Rapids. In Grand Rapids he enrolled in the Gerald R. Ford Job Corps Center where he received his diploma and a certificate of completion for its Carpentry training. Larry came to City Rescue Mission in September of 2017 after moving from Grand Rapids and a short lived stay with a younger brother, in Saginaw.
Living with his brother didn’t work out and with both of his parents deceased, Larry came to the Rescue Mission for shelter and support. He enrolled in the Mission’s Spiritually Accountable Vocationally Equipped (S.A.V.E.) Program. Larry proudly finished the Life Skills and Jobs for Life classes and was even more proud because the graduation fell on his 25th birthday. As he gave his graduation speech, through a huge grin, he stated, “I’m grateful for these classes. They taught me a lot and so many of you have helped me.” Both Craig Laszlo and Jeff Hegenauer shared their surprise and sentiments of seeing Larry “come out of his shell” to share words of thanks. “Wow, I don’t think I’ve heard you say that many words before!” stated Craig Laszlo, Co-Facilitator of Jobs for Life Program.
Larry shared that he doesn’t speak much because he wants to keep his thoughts in the right perspective. He listens before he speaks to assure that his response is the correct one. Growing up, he said a physician once told his mother, “Larry is a deep thinker.” Larry confessed that he believes for that reason he is sometimes misunderstood. Although Mission staff and volunteers think he’s a kind and respectful young man. Larry trains in the Mission kitchen which is a part the S.A.V.E. program. He recently returned to his childhood church, First Baptist of Bridgeport. His face lights up when talking about his Christian walk. “I have to keep God on the side. Well, actually I need to keep him right in the middle,” he chuckled.