1. What was life like before recovery?

Life before recovery was a rollercoaster. When I was young, and using there were moments that felt fun, but after many years none of it was fun anymore. It was an addiction that was taking over who I really was. I wasn’t pursuing my passions, and I kept re-defining my rock bottom.

2. When did you realize you needed help?

Days after getting out of jail and being on a several day bender, I passed out and my parents found me in my apartment... I was so out of it, and they woke me up expressing their concerns. I stopped in that moment, and had a snapshot of all the trouble I had gotten into over the past year. I realized I had a problem and needed help. Little did I know in that moment, my mom had already set me up to go to a 30 day in-patient treatment facility the following Monday. It was okay, because that was what I needed and I was truly ready to seek help at that point.

3. Is there someone in your life that supported you in your journey to recovery?

I give a lot of credit to my parents and recovery family. After I turned my life around, I had wreckage that took many years to clean up, and my parents supported me through that. And from the moment I came back to my hometown clean and sober, I quit talking to all my old friends. That was hard because some of them were people I grew up with, but I found new friends in recovery. And I wouldn’t have gotten through those first few years without them.

4. What challenges did you overcome to thrive in recovery?

The truth is, drugs and alcohol were only part of the problem. My character defects were causing problems in my life, and that’s part of the reason I used. When you get clean you realize you have to work on yourself, and that can be overwhelming, but it’s important to remember that change doesn’t happen overnight. It took years of working on myself and pursuing my passions to become the man I am today.

5. What has surprised you most about recovery?
That strangers can become your best friends, and you can have a lot of fun being clean and sober. Also the blessings I received by staying on the straight path far exceed everything I ever received while using.

6. What does life look like for you now?

Life is filled with hope, and big dreams. I have a beautifully blended family that I am so proud of, and I wouldn’t be the father I am today if I wouldn’t have turned my life around. I have a successful video production company that has allowed me to give back to my community in so many ways. I provide for my family by telling other people’s stories, and that is a dream come true. And if I didn’t have my story I wouldn’t be able to tell others so well.

7. What advice do you have for someone that is struggling right now?

Talking about your problems helps. You truly can’t do this alone. Find someone you love & trust and can be honest with. If you feel you need treatment, talk to a loved one and try not to be fearful. Treatment was the start of me looking within, and accepting I needed to change. It all begins there. No matter how badly you think you screwed up, you can always turn things around. It is never too late. And I like to think life give’s us more than a second chance.