Timothy was trapped under a crushing sense of guilt. After all, he had accidentally passed a death sentence on to his beloved wife and their precious little girl. When his wife died of complications from AIDS on Christmas 2004, suicide seemed to be the only way out for this despairing husband…
Fourteen years before that tragic Christmas, Timothy was experimenting with cocaine when he got hold of an HIV-infected needle. His symptoms stayed hidden, and Timothy never even suspected he had the virus. He continued to work hard and provided well for his wife and young son.
The happy couple was soon expecting a second child, and joy filled their home. Little Amy* was delivered by C-section. She was absolutely beautiful, and appeared to be in perfect health. It was five short years before the ominous killer revealed itself…but not as you might expect.
Like many 5-year olds, Amy had problems with painful ear infections. But for her, they seemed more frequent and recovery took more time than most children her age. Then mom began feeling sick and experiencing unexplainable leg cramps. After a battery of medical tests, her doctor shocked her with news that she was infected with AIDS. Testing the whole family revealed that both Timothy and Amy carried the virus as well. Fortunately, their son had a clean bill of health.
Over the next few years, calling an ambulance became second nature to Timothy, whose wife required frequent blood transfusions. But on Christmas night of 2004, this devoted husband called an ambulance for the last time. His wife was only 45 when she passed away the next morning.
By then, their son was an adult, and old enough to take care of Amy, whose medication had mercifully kept severe symptoms at bay.
Timothy’s grief and guilt sent him spiraling into a 5-month binge of drug and alcohol abuse. “How could I do this to someone I loved?” he cried. “It was my fault. My stupidity.
My own greed for drugs that took her away.” He decided it was time to end his own miserable life, and called his son to say a final goodbye. He pleaded that his life had hit rock bottom and should be over.
But Timothy’s family wasn’t about to give up so quickly. His son called the police, who arrived in time to stop the suicide. They brought this despondent man to a local crisis center where he stayed for 12 days. From there, Timothy came to CityTeam for help. It was his hospital nurse who referred him to CityTeam.
Thanks to compassionate partners like you who help support CityTeam, Timothy’s life was transformed. More that anything else, he began to believe in the miracle of mercy and hope. “My children both forgive me for what has happened,” he says through tears of gratitude.
Caring friends like you who help provide food, shelter and Bible-based counseling at CityTeam have given Timothy a reason to live. "All my life I only did things for myself. I was filled with greed" admits this quiet and humble man. Today, I know how to serve others. . . I’m not the man I was, and I’m so thankful!”
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