Ed Negron shares his life, the good and the bad, on the tattoos that cover his arms. The left arm is his past. The right is the present.
It truly has been a wild ride, filled with addiction, self-destruction, hate, shame and angerwords that also are tattooed on him.
Negron hit rock bottom in 1999 when he was arrested in Lakeview on drug charges. He had been selling drugs, and admits he probably was his best customer.
After time in jail, he turned his life around, completelyand is proud to say he's been clean and sober for 12 years.
Negron has worked hard to help others with addiction issues, too. He's been a certified substance abuse counselor since 2007. He's even been given a presidential coin, honoring his efforts.
"I'm proud of that [coin] and that I can help addicts who are still out there. I tell my story to help others, and am not ashamed to do so," Negron said. "I know, if I didn't change, if it weren't for getting arrested when I did and getting into a recovery program when I did … I probably wouldn't be here.
"I'm so happy and honored to now be able to accomplish everything that I thought about [years ago] while getting high, but couldn't then because I was too messed up. I'm able to create change, and am very happy for that."
THE STATS
Age: 41
Neighborhood: East Lakeview
Relationship status: Partnered for 11 years with Patrick Gannon
Job title: Housing assistance coordinator/staff photographer at AIDS Foundation of Chicago
Orientation: Bisexual
Hobbies: Photography, watching movies, going to live theater
Cubs or White Sox?: "Definitely Cubs."
Favorite Chicago restaurant: Nookies in Lakeview
Military: Served in the Army Reserve for six years
Little-known fact: "I collect rocks. Whenever I travel, I take rocks from wherever I go, including from the Pyramids in Egypt and a castle in Germany."
Negron is the co-founder of Bisexual Queer Alliance Chicago: "I think it's important that the bisexual community has a voice within LGBT community. I'm a proud bisexual man."