Austin initially has a quiet, reserved demeanor, but don’t let that fool you. The man is on a mission to progress and move forward, one step at a time. He’s had his trials and tribulations along the way, but he realized a while ago he was “fed up” with that.
A native of D.C., Austin grew up the middle child in a typical middle-class family. After a couple bouts with addiction, he “was fed-up with [drugs] and just knew it wasn’t something [he] wanted to do anymore.” Austin entered a program then moved to La Casa.
Austin first heard about Back on My Feet while at La Casa and, initially, he wasn’t too interested. The financial benefits and running incentives did not really motivate him. He was hesitant and did not sign up right away. “At first, I just thought about it from a healthy aspect, and that’s why I initially started running. I just got up and ran,” says Austin.
Fast-forward 4 months with BoMF and Austin would rather talk about his team than himself. He gets a bit choked up, stops himself, and shares what he can. “It’s the camaraderie and the fellowship with the members, volunteers and staff of Back on My Feet that got me more involved,” he says. Austin wants everyone to know, “the volunteers are exceptional. They’re genuinely good people who care about a group of people that much of society has forgotten. Sandra, Gene, Sarah, Devin, all the volunteers are really, really good people.” The members love “Back on My Feet because everyone is so nice. And, it’s genuine. The people really care.”
Neglecting his personal triumphs, Austin continues to talk about his team when, according to non-res member Devin, it was Austin who “was a steady leader for our team during a time of high (positive) turnover.” He never missed a day, “was generally the first one out in the morning and helped the team with warm-ups when needed.” He has steadily increased his endurance and distance, “often sprinting the last couple blocks of each morning run,” which has motivated others to improve as well.
Regardless of who deserves more credit, Austin says running with BoMF has helped him to “feel better all-around.” He’s since gained employment where his responsibilities are growing and he hopes to become a help desk technician in the next 2-5 years. In the beginning of April, after 4 months with BoMF, Austin moved into his own housing.
“He will be missed by members and volunteers alike as he moves on to bigger and better things,” says Devin. Yet, although getting to a run now requires him to catch a bus at 5am, Austin doesn’t intend to stop running anytime soon. He plans to continue running in his new neighborhood and with Back on My Feet.
Everyone wishes him the best of success and looks forward to hearing about his new endeavors!
The Back on My Feet DC chapter had a great showing at the Run for Shelter 10k on April 28th, 2012. There were over 20 resident members running and numerous more cheering at the finish line. The D.C. April Members of the Month are:
