Five years ago, Jesse Dalla Riva wandered into a detox center, homeless, addicted and without hope. A young woman who worked there named Blake, a graduate of our recovery program, referred him to Phoenix Rescue Mission. And his life has never been the same.  

Jesse enrolled in our recovery program. He found Christ and sobriety, and never looked back. His original story was featured in our August 2015 newsletter, where he thanked the young woman at the detox center. Amazingly, Blake heard about the article and drove to the Mission to grant his wish. Sparks flew and they were married a few months later.

But God wasn’t finished blessing Jesse. Later that year, he was selected as the recipient of a full-ride scholarship to Grand Canyon University, which he accepted. During that time, he’s managed to juggle being a husband, a new father, his full-time school schedule, and a full-time position at the Mission as our Solutions Supervisor.

We’re excited to report that last month, Jesse completed that scholarship, earning a degree in Counseling, with an Emphasis in Substance Abuse Disorders!

Jesse is more than an example of the transformation possible through Christ; he’s a model for how far God can take you when you give Him the reins.