D.J. Carra walked into Lowes and plopped down his last $18 for a bottle of industrial strength Drano. With only five cigarettes left to his name, the plan was to smoke four and savor the last one as he downed the drain cleaner product — but before Carra could attempt to end his life he was stopped. Those dark days are over for Carra and today the Corinth native is giving back to others at Vicksburg’s River City Rescue Mission.

“I had gotten a wild hair in 1999 and moved to Florida,” said Carra, but growing tired of weather that lacked seasons, he said he decided to move back home to Corinth. “When I came back 3 1/2 months ago my family was gone and I couldn’t find work and wound up living in my car.”

Down and out, Carra figured the only thing left to do was end his life, he said, but a woman wound up stopping him.

“The lady let me talk to a suicide hotline and after spending a few days in a hospital, Christian counselors helped me find this place” (River City Rescue Mission), he said.

“We have a Christian rehabilitation system and everybody does their part,” said Ernie Hall, and added Carra helps in the rescue mission kitchen.

Hall is the director of the facility, which offers in-care housing intended to assist men in their attempts to reenter society after a predetermined in-care healing time.

Carra said he had always worked in a restaurant and for the last month he has been active in the helping prepare, cook and serve three meals a day to others in need.

“I have been here (in the kitchen) one month and it has been the best of my 45 years,” Carra said.

Fredrick Owens works with Carra in the kitchen, along with Sharon Bachelor and Annie Taylor. Owens is a retired military cook and said the food the rescue mission serves is “pretty good.”

“It’s a combination of home and restaurant cooking,” Ownes said

The group has already started gearing up for their Thanksgiving Day meal, where more than 150 meals will be served at the rescue mission.

“We’ve cooked six pans of dressing, two hams and eight turkeys,” Carra said, adding there are plans to cook four more turkeys.

This is the 23^rd year the rescue mission has offered Thanksgiving dinner for those less fortunate, Hall said, and along with the meals served at the rescue mission — more than 150 meals will also be delivered.

“Lots of single mothers have no transportation,” Hall said, “and we will be out just looking for people who need a meal.”

Volunteers are also welcome and Hall said he expects 20 to show up and help out with the holiday meal.

“We get calls all the time saying, ‘we just want to help,’” he said.

“This ministry is not a one-man show,” Hall said. “This is all about pleasing God and you please god when you are serving others.”

The Thanksgiving meal at the River City Rescue Mission, 3705 Washington St. will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

For more information or to volunteer, call 601-636-6602 or email info@rivercityrescuemiddion.org.