Before 2023, if you asked Eric Zimmerman where he saw himself in five years, Omaha wouldn’t have even made the list. “To be honest with you, I don’t think I would have been able to point it out on a map,” he reflcts. In fact, much of his future unfolded in ways he didn’t expect.
Eric’s potential was always there, but after falling in with the wrong crowd in high school, he began to struggle with addiction. “After that, all my relationships became solely transactional.” On
August 4, 2021, he overdosed, leading to an anoxic brain injury.
When he arrived at QLI, his recovery would extend beyond the physical. More than anything, he needed to know that people cared about him without expecting anything in return. “Th e people
were so positive and wanted the best for me.” Eric was laying the foundation for a thriving future. Moving back to Illinois would have been an easy choice. He had friends and family waiting for him, secured housing, and college classes starting. Everything he needed was already in place, however, he knew he wanted to go in a different direction.
“The people I have met here, the relationships I’ve built, have been life-changing.” He wanted to give back what QLI gave to him. The support system and his newfound purpose Eric built while at QLI made Omaha home. In 2023, he relocated here and now hosts a weekly game group at QLI, mentors current clients, attends classes at UNO, and has even reconnected with a few old hobbies including playing the guitar.
With intention and purpose, Eric is taking charge of his future, centered on positivity and connection, right here in Omaha.
