‘They wanted to save my life because I was at a critical moment’

Alumnus Chris shares how the Farm changed—and saved—him

The team here recently sat down with Chris, a Happy Hill Farm alumnus, and got to hear about how the time here impacted his life. Thank you for helping make stories like his possible through your gifts and prayers!

Happy Hill Farm: Can you tell us how you came to live on the Farm, Chris?

Chris: Let me start by saying first that I don’t think anybody really wakes up and wants to go to Happy Hill Farm. That being said, I ended up there because my mom and my dad were die-hard alcoholics. They lived to drink and drank to live, and they were rarely ever there for me. So of course, by the time I was about 12 or 13, I was drinking too, and I eventually ran away from home. I didn’t want any part of what my family was about. And that quickly led me to Happy Hill Farm.

HHF: What were those first days on the Farm like for you?

Chris: To be honest, I thought it was terrible. Not only was I disappointed in myself for being there, they actually didn’t have any room for me. I was 14 years old, and I had to live in the 10-year-olds’ house for a while! It was horrible at the time, but now I realize that the folks at the Farm were doing everything they could to get me in there. They wanted to save my life because I was at a critical moment.

HHF: How did the Farm impact your life?

Chris: I didn’t think my life was worth anything good when I showed up on the Farm when I was 14. My family was broken, my spirit was broken, and I thought that I was broken. But Happy Hill Farm taught me that God intends us all to be great, and they set me up for great things. You don’t end up at Happy Hill Farm because your life is perfect. You end up at Happy Hill Farm because your life isn’t perfect. But today I can look back and know that being at the Farm was God’s best for me. And I’m so grateful for all those who made it possible for me to be there.