My story begins with growing up under the care of a single mother and a violent stepfather. With little supervision, I found drugs and alcohol at a young age, and addiction soon took me away from everything that mattered — my friends, family, football, and joy for life. I experienced homelessness, struggled to maintain work, faced legal issues, and lost access to my children.
Recovery came through intervention with the justice system and the support of services and people with lived experience who helped me rebuild. Through hard work and commitment, I regained stability, reconnected with my family, and found purpose in helping others.
Today, I work as a Peer Support Worker with The Salvation Army, where I feel I’ve found my calling — supporting men through some of the most difficult times in their lives and showing that recovery and change are always possible.