Companion Stories: Dennis

Photograph of Dennis

"It was my decision to give away my daughters. I lost them in 1991 when Nicola was 6 and Lisa was 4. I did my best to look after them for as long as I could, but I couldn't really cope. I was drinking every day and I couldn't look after them properly.

After they went, I drank even more. It became less and less likely that I was going to be able to look after them. I could feel them slipping away from me. I slept in night hostels. I slept in old cars. I spent about three years on the streets. I felt very low and tried to commit suicide a couple of times.

I found out about Emmaus Mossley when I went to their shop to buy furniture. I was attracted to the idea of living in a community where people supported each other. I also liked the idea that I had to work to live there. I knew that if I had the focus of work then I wouldn't think about drinking so much.

I did a story about how I came to Emmaus for the local paper. My sister Jean saw the article and I was reunited with my daughters. My life has changed since I found them again. There has never been a day in all the years since they went when I didn't think about them. It's nice to be a Dad again.

Emmaus had given me back the feeling of wanting to do things with my life. It has also given me a future. I want to go to college to do a counselling course so that I can go back to Emmaus and help other people who come and live and work there."