Trials, Tribulations, and Triumph: The Morris Boone Story

“I came to Trinity looking for a better way,” said Morris Boone.

In 2018, Morris found himself walking through the doors of Trinity Rescue Mission in an active battle with drug addiction, looking for a way out. Often when people hear stories about adults experiencing homelessness or drug addiction, they assume they had a rough upbringing. However, according to Morris, his childhood was not all that bad.

“I was raised by both parents,” said Morris. “I was my mother’s favorite child, and my sister was my dad’s favorite.” Morris had a stern father who only showed emotion when Morris brought home good news from school, but his mother was a key figure in his life. He recalled getting his work ethic from his mother who went from scrubbing floors to being a successful nurse at Flagler Hospital. “I learned a lot from her growing up,” said Morris. “She taught me how to wash clothes, cook, and clean. She gave me the tools to be able to take care of myself when the time came.”

As Morris got older, he started playing football with his friends. “It made for an eventful life growing up,” said Morris. Once he got to high school, he was such a talented wide receiver that the University of Kentucky started to recruit him. Yet, the summer before his official visit to Kentucky, tragedy struck. “I was shot in the leg and that ended my football life,” said Morris. “When high school started back up [after summer break] I started missing school to hang out with a different crew of people.” Morris started selling drugs, loving the attention he got from selling on the streets. As time passed, Morris became addicted to the same drug he sold. Through it all, his mother never left his side. “For years my mother stood by me,” said Morris. “Through all my drug years and two trips to prison, she was there through it all.” Over time, Morris noticed his mother seemed more depressed and thought it was his actions breaking her heart, instead he realized she was in the fight of her life with cancer. A year later she passed away and Morris’ whole world fell apart.

“I was devastated. I lost it. Losing my mother was harder than being shot,” said Morris. “To not feel the pain of losing her, I dove hard into drugs. I didn’t want to live this life sober without her.” Eventually, Morris came to the hard realization that drugs were not fixing the issue of losing of his mother and that it was time to get help. After looking for a program to accept him, he finally found Trinity Rescue Mission.

“I started with building a foundation with God. My first step was getting back to sitting in his presence,” said Morris. “Second was letting go all that baggage I carried around for so many years. Letting down my walls allowed my blessings from God to flow in.”
Morris took this second chance seriously. He never missed a Sunday service and faithfully did his job at the Mission, giving all the glory to God. He credits having wise counsel around as a major help in his recovery as well. “Kevin Williams and Mrs. Tanja are major parts in my rebirth,” said Morris. “When things got tough and I felt like giving up, it was those two I could go to.” Kevin and Tanja knew Morris at his highest and lowest points and were always present to give him a much-needed word of encouragement. Building on those words, Morris dug deeper into his faith and his relationship with God.

“God started to open doors that I thought never would open and placed me on a path to follow,” said Morris. “I got into a program called Operation New Hope that helped me get my warehouse degree, make a resume, and how to act on my job interview.” Morris is now thriving and intends to use everything he has learned to continue making his life better. Aware of his strength in God, he no longer desires to do drugs, feels like he has a reason to live life to the fullest, and is excited to start a new job. When not working, Morris enjoys counseling overnight guests at the Mission on salvation and faith.

“I am no better than anybody else and I still have a long way to go,” said Morris. “But I am not alone. My journey is not over, just another chapter in God's divine plan for my life because I don't believe he brought me this far to leave me, or I to leave him.”

If you or someone you know is dealing with homelessness or battling drug addiction, please reach out to Trinity Rescue Mission in person or by calling (904) 355-1205. If you are interested in being a part of the Trinity Rescue Mission in terms of financial giving, in-kind donations, or donating your time as a volunteer, please visit the website by clicking here.