Six Months Off the Street

"When reporter Ethan Brooks met Evan, he was in bad shape. Rosin: Years of addiction had left him with a leg that was so swollen and infected that he was at risk of losing it. On top of that, he couldn't keep food down. And he didn't know why. His best friend, Joe, was worried. Rosin: Evan ended up in the hospital."

"Hanna Rosin: I'm Hanna Rosin. This is Radio Atlantic. Last year, we published a series called No Easy Fix. If you haven't heard it, you should go back and listen. It's about San Francisco's attempts to address pockets of homelessness and addiction. It's also a close and unusually humane portrait of one man-his name is Evan-living on the streets and barely managing his fentanyl addiction."

"Brooks: We spoke for a few hours, and this is how our conversation ended. Brooks: Evan had been accepted to long-term residential rehab in San Francisco. He wanted to finally get clean, and give space and time for his leg to heal. Evan: I could feel, like-in my head, I'm like, I'm gonna be successful this time. But like, I'm still a little worried about having doubt-like, What if I don't, though?"

San Francisco implemented programs to address pockets of homelessness and addiction, including long-term residential rehabs. Evan lived on the streets for years and struggled with a fentanyl addiction that left his leg swollen and infected and caused him to be unable to keep food down. His friend Joe became worried and Evan was hospitalized. He agreed to enter a residential addiction treatment program similar to rehabs he had tried and failed before. He sought space and time for his leg to heal, hoped to finally get sober, and wanted to reconnect with his son while managing doubts about success.

Read at The Atlantic