Beneficiary Impact
Eddie
On a nine-degree day in early December 2025, Sarah Prylinski opened her office at the Mental Health Association. One of her first visitors was Ed, 59, a man experiencing homelessness whom she had spent months getting to know. When they first met, Eddie’s life was defined by severe alcoholism.
Eddie explained, “I’d go to bed drunk, wake up drunk, middle of the night if I woke up, I’d drink a beer.” His drinking made it impossible to pass a breathalyzer, a typically requirement for most overnight shelters. If he drank, he slept on the street—alone, exposed, and out of options.
“It’s rough out there on the streets,” Eddie said. “It’s a living hell.”
On September 23rd, 2025, he decided to start working his way out of that living hell. “It got to a point where I needed to change,” he said. “So, I woke up and quit drinking.”
Past attempts to achieve and maintain sobriety had taught him that he’d need a Herculean effort and a lot of support to be successful long-term. “I was a drunk by nature, and I didn’t know how to live sober. I didn’t! I knew how to drink,” Eddie said.
He went to Sarah Prylinski, Street Outreach nurse, for help. “I came into her office and said, ‘Hey, can you help me? Because if you can’t, I’m going to walk in front of a train because I’ve had it.’”
She secured a bed for him at an inpatient rehabilitation facility, where he spent seven days with a clinical team working to keep his blood pressure under control and his spirits up as he detoxed. After that, he started attending two to three AA support meetings a day.
Over time, it got easier. He is now over 120 days sober and credits Sarah for his sobriety. “She gave me the support I need,” Eddie said, voice cracking. “Without her, I wouldn’t be here right now.”
Sarah gushes about his progress. “He’s done a complete 360, and I’m super proud of him,” she said. Their next goal of care is for Eddie to be seen by pulmonology and orthopedics, two specialists who can help stabilize his health and decrease his hospitalizations in 2026.
“Eddie gives us hope that we can achieve the same success with others,” said Sarah.
Sobriety has been a hard-won achievement – one that opens new doors for Eddie. He’s currently still living at the shelter but hopes for a place to call his own in 2026. In the meantime, the breathalyzer is no longer his enemy. “I used to hate that thing!” Eddie said with a laugh, “But now it’s my friend.”
For Sarah, it’s the clear change in him that encourages her most. “I love seeing the hope he has and the future possibilities for him,” she said. Inch by inch, Eddie is gaining ground on the pathway to better health.