A Family’s Century-Long Connection Finds a New Chapter at St. Christopher’s Inn

For John, Be the Bridge Walk for Recovery has become a meaningful way to bring together his sobriety, faith, family and friends.

John has participated in St. Christopher’s Inn’s Be the Bridge for the past two years. On September 20, he’ll return to the Walkway Over the Hudson for his third year, and this time, he’s bringing a team with him. As captain of Friends of Brothers Christopher, John has brought together friends and family to raise funds in support of the men of St. Christopher’s Inn. His team is now among the top fundraising teams for this year’s Walk.

John’s personal story begins in 2023, when he made the decision to get sober.

“I was ready to make a genuine, solid attempt at getting sober. I wanted to pursue a renewed relationship with God. I knew that for me to achieve any level of success, God would have to be at the forefront. The continuous, relentless progression of alcohol abuse had left me spiritually bankrupt.”

Although John’s own recovery journey did not begin at St. Christopher’s Inn, Graymoor became an important part of it. As he committed himself to sobriety one day at a time, he began attending more AA meetings and returned to Mass.

“To jump-start my recovery, I began attending more meetings with the goal of completing 90 meetings in 90 days.”

Through AA meetings held at Graymoor and his growing connection to the Holy Mountain, John found a place that became deeply meaningful to him. While that personal connection came later in life, Graymoor was already part of his family’s story. His great-grandparents immigrated from Italy and settled in Putnam Valley, not far from Graymoor, and their eldest daughter, born in 1912, was baptized by Fr. Paul Wattson, SA.

Today, John’s gratitude for Graymoor and for those who have been part of his journey, including Fr. Bob Warren, SA, and Sr. Elish Sweeney, SA, is part of what brings him back to Be the Bridge each year.

Graymoor became especially important during some of the most difficult moments of John’s early sobriety.

“The full realization of the damage I had caused to my family began to haunt me, leaving me stricken with guilt, despair, and grief. I remember the absolute desperation of that moment. I knew I could not, under any circumstances, pick up a drink, even though escaping through alcohol had been my default mechanism for over 40 years. Instead of turning to the bottle, I drove to Graymoor in search of solace.”

Those early days have shaped the way John thinks about sobriety today.

“Sobriety is a continuous journey without a final destination. Alcoholics Anonymous and Graymoor will forever remain the core pillars of my ongoing recovery.”

There’s still time to be part of Be the Bridge on September 20. Register to walk, create or join a team, or make a donation in support of John’s Friends of Brothers Christopher team.

John’s story and personal reflections are shared with his permission.