Each year, Care For the Homeless honors people who have experienced homelessness and achieved incredible milestones in health, housing, and employment. Their stories are reminders that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to homelessness, but with access to health care, supportive services, and community support, success is possible.

Bernave, a former boxing champion, connected to care at our Queens-based health center, Care Found Here. With health care support and community, he is now focused on his health and personal growth. His story is a beautiful reminder of how compassion can pave the way to recovery and renewal.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Please tell us your name and a bit about yourself. 

My name is Bernave Olvera. When I was a young guy, I was very motivated. [A] very strong guy. I like boxing, I was training [for] boxing, going to the tournament, as an amateur champion. I started getting to professional [status].   

I am from Mexico. Later, I moved to New York and I try to do my boxer career, but I [started] touching drugs and alcohol. And [the drugs] don’t let me do whatever I want. Like I want to be a champion, [a] world champion. And I can, I can do it. [But] drugs and alcohol touch me. And I couldn’t stop, I want to stop. And I don’t take care myself.   

Tell me about your health care journey.  

[I] went to the doctor and the doctor tell me; you have to stop. The alcohol damages your body, drugs too. You have depression. You have a lot of things you can do and you are good person. You can stop drinking. You have to go to a program, you have to go to the doctor appointments.  

Before I went to this program, I [stayed] in a hospital for [people] who have a problem. Because I was trying to kill myself. I was jumping [onto] the train, I was jumping from the building or from the bridge. And I was feeling lonely. I was thinking like: I don’t deserve to live. And later one day when I was in the hospital… I didn’t know how I got to the hospital; I [had] my eyes [were] already very black. And a counselor told me to go to the program and sent me to the [rehabilitation] program.  

Tell me about how you were connected to Care For the Homeless. 

I came to this clinic, and I started making appointments with Doctor Abena. She was taking care of me, very well, but I sometimes don’t appreciate it. Sometimes I don’t drink my medicine or show up to my appointments. But I want to change. I want to change.  

Sometimes I cry and I ask God to please help me. I want to change. I want to do this and be the same person as [I was] before.  

And I think god listened to me because I went to the hospital and they sent me to the program, and they tell me I’m not ready to go out [yet], I need[ed] more time.  

I was thinking like I’m ready. I was thinking like I’m already responsible for my things. I’m already eating my breakfast, [eating] my food, my lunch, my dinner, so I’m ready. I’m ready to find a job. But I listen to the counsellor. The counsellor said, “you need more time, we’re going to send you to another program.” 

How do you maintain your health success?  

In the middle of those things (the programs) I was coming to my appointments with Dr Abena and psychiatrist Dr Asman. He keeps pushing me, he gives me motivation to stay in the program, to listen to the [people], to push me to motivate myself. And I start drinking the medicine, the pills they gave me, the pills the doctor gave me and start feeling better.  

My sickness [started to become] less [painful]. I was [feeling] a lot of pain in my feet, in my knee, in my stomach. I remember I had pre-diabetes, cholesterol, and a lot of things, but all those things are now gone, thanks to this doctor and psychiatrist. I still come to my appointments; I still do my things the best I can.  

What does this success mean to you?  

I don’t know how I can pay the doctor, the psychiatrist, the person who help me. A lot of people [are] like me, need help, [and they] need to listen [to] professional people. Professional people do their [jobs], [they] help everybody no matter how they are, if they smell bad, if they talking [badly], if they don’t accept the help. People, good people, good doctors, good psychiatrists, [they] help you. They help me a lot.  

Thank god for [these] doctors, [these people]. [They] keep supporting every [person], especially people living alone like me. I don’t have my family here; I don’t have my son here. But now they love me. My mom, now my mom [doesn’t] cry. My mom [smiles] when she speaks with me. My son, every time [he] calls me, and says “Hi Dad, you look very good, I love you, where are you, where do you go, what are you doing”. It’s a very exciting feeling, feeling those kinds of things.  

What advice do you have for others who may be suffering with addiction or other health problems?  

The most important thing… what I say or what I want to say to everybody is “please don’t let the alcohol or drugs take you, fight it, fight it, fight it. And listen to people, listen to doctors, listen to the psychiatrist, go to the program, find a program, find help”. We are good [people]. We just let that go. Don’t let that go. Don’t let go of that in your body. Don’t let drugs use you. Go to the program. People help you. People help me. People love me. God loves me. God sent [these people] to take care of my health, my problems.  

Now I can tell somebody, I can tell somebody [who] comes to ask me, “how I can do it?”, or “how did I do it?”. 

I tell them, I can help you. I can help you. I can tell you. I can see you, wherever you are. I can take you and bring you to the program. Especially if you have a headache or you have a cut on your finger, or some part of your body, I can take you to the doctor. This is what I can say and thank you very much everybody. Thank you for listening to me and thank you for taking care of [me].