Vest shares his story at chamber prayer breakfast

The Shelby County Chamber hosted their 23rd annual prayer breakfast at the Pelham Civic Complex on Nov. 26. 

Held every year since 1996, the breakfast offers business people and community leaders the opportunity to come together for fellowship and provides a time to reflect on what’s truly important in life and what inspires them to make a difference in the lives of others and our communities.

Shelby County Commissioner and Executive Director of the Addiction Prevention Coalition Mike Vest was the featured speaker for the event. 

From a young age, Vest learned that life can be hard, but he believes that it’s not about what life throws at you, but how you react. In his role at the APC, his goal is to increase awareness of addiction issues, try to prevent them and help people who need it.

Vest shared his story of how his alcoholic father left their family in 1975 and his mom supported he and his brother by working at a dry cleaners in Bessemer. He was forced to grow up at a young age when his older brother became addicted to drugs at the age of 15. 

To prevent Vest from following in those footsteps, his mom got him involved in the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program in 1979. 

“40 years ago this month, I got a big brother named Mark Griffin and we have been best buddies for the last 40 years,” Vest said. “If not for him, I wouldn’t be here today.” 

To honor his Big Brother, Vest named his youngest son, Griffin, after him. 

After receiving a football scholarship and graduating from Samford University, Vest spent time as a professional country music singer in Nashville and Dallas.

Vest also spoke of reconnecting with his estranged father and helped move out of his car and into an apartment in 2005 and that “all he needed was someone to believe in him.” Five years later, he took his drug addicted brother and took him to The Foundry. He did well for over three years before dying of a heart attack saying “God gave him one last chance and he took it.”

“This is why I do what I do with APC,” he said. “God knew what he was doing in my life. I’m the poster child for everyone in this room who gives to a non-profit. It’s Thanksgiving and I’m thankful that all those years ago, people like you decided to do something for Big Brothers and Big Sisters.”