CLAREMORE, Okla. — A Kansas man who admits he was headed down the wrong path because of drugs has turned his life around with the support of his community.
Valentino Hambright is originally from Wichita, Kansas but ended up in Rogers County because he got in trouble with the law. He said he never imagined calling Claremore home but after all he’s been through, he said he knew this is where he needed to be.
Less than a week after being released from jail with just the clothes on his back and no shoes, Hambright had shoes, clothes, a cell phone, a place to live and a job thanks to the help of the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office and First United Methodist Church.
“There’s so much opportunity in this small town to better yourself from what you became and I noticed that. You can grow here, you can be successful. People slip up in their lifetime and I say it all the time, as long as you don’t act like you missed a step and keep walking, you’ll make it through,” said Hambright.
He said without the community of Claremore, he would most likely be back in Wichita, back to his old ways. He said he can’t thank everyone enough for taking a chance on a stranger.
“I would say thank you. Everybody thank you. You didn’t know who I was, you didn’t know what I was about, you didn’t know my name, but you gave and you helped. The ladies at the District Attorney’s office didn’t have to but they did. The guy on the street didn’t have to give me 40 dollars but he did. Pastor Randy from First Baptist didn’t have to get me a hotel, didn’t have to spend church funds, but he did. And FUMC didn’t have to take care of that straggler off the street but they did,” said Hambright.
Hambright said his next goal is to buy a car and save up some money so he can pursue his passion of working with kids who grew up how he did. He said he hopes his story can inspire others to better their lives.
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