Someone San Diego Should Know: Ron Lamb

Ron Lamb was homeless for three years in Oceanside, where he could be found sleeping on beaches or in the riverbed. He was on law enforcement’s chronic offenders list with some two dozen arrests for such offenses as public intoxication.

Before coming to San Diego in 2009, he had been convicted six times in Arizona on felony drug possession-related charges, spending five years in prison. One prosecutor told the judge Lamb could not be rehabilitated.

Born in 1960 and raised in the notoriously rough south side of Chicago, Lamb was the oldest of six children.

“I had a paper route, cut grass, shoveled snow and always had passing grades,” he said.

However, he was rebellious. He began drinking alcohol at 13 and taking drugs at 15. When his father physically punished him, Lamb left home at 16.

He remained in Chicago living with a relative and eventually dropped out of school.

“I hung out with the wrong crowd,” he said, “stealing cars, doing burglaries and ended up in prison for the first time.”

After his release, Lamb married Jeanne and they moved to Arizona hoping to start a new life. Lamb got a construction job, and the couple had a son in 1982.

However, their marriage ended three years later when Jeanne left with their boy.

“She left due to my drinking,” he said. “I loved her, but I chased her away.

“When she left, I drank more and started with crystal meth.”

A second marriage in Arizona also ended in divorce due to alcohol and drugs, and Lamb’s life spiraled to rock bottom. After release from prison in 2009, he moved to San Diego hoping to, again, start a new life, this time with his brother.

He got a construction job, but could not stay with his brother because of his drinking.

At first, he lived in a motel. But when construction work slowed, he spent several months in a shelter and then was homeless.

“I was drunk day and night,” he said. “I gave up on relationships and trying to find a job and just stayed drunk. I had no rhyme or reason for existing. Sometimes I would shake so hard I couldn’t hold a fork.

“I got beat up. It was dangerous everywhere.”

But on Aug. 23, 2012, Lamb’s life changed at age 52.

“I woke up, looked around and was totally disgusted with myself. I said ‘no more,’ walked over to Brother Benno’s and asked for help. This was the first time I ever asked for help with my addiction and meant it.”

Brother Benno’s began as a soup kitchen 40 years ago in Oceanside and continues today helping the homeless and low-income families in a variety of ways.

Lamb was sent to a detox center and then treatment. “It was scary,” he said. “But I knew I had to do something or I’d die.”

He stuck with treatment, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and a sober living environment that included random testing.  He got a job with Brother Benno’s doing maintenance work.

Thirteen years later, Lamb remains employed at Brother Benno’s, where he is clothing operations manager serving up to 90 guests daily. He still attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings where he is a sponsor and mentor. And he rents a room in Oceanside.

“I have a life today,” he said, pointing out he has been clean and sober for 13 years. “I’m not just going through the motions. I have friends — real friends. And I try to help people.”

Among his closest friends is retired Oceanside police sergeant Lonny Harper who arrested Lamb on many occasions while Lamb was homeless. “We’re like family,” Harper said. “He’s Uncle Ron to my kids.”

Lamb has renewed relationships with his mother and siblings. He dreams of someday having relationships with his son and five grandchildren who live out-of-state.

Occasionally Lamb, now 65, visits the riverbed and meets with homeless people living as he once did. He tells them it is never too late to change no matter how tough it gets. His life story is proof of that.

About this series

Goldsmith is a Union-Tribune contributing columnist.

We welcome reader suggestions of people who have done something extraordinary or otherwise educational, inspiring or interesting and who have not received much previous media. Please send suggestions to Jan Goldsmith at jgsandiego@yahoo.com