I grew up like any other kid. My biological father left when I was two, and shortly after, my mom remarried. We lived in a small town in northern Wisconsin, where I was the oldest of four kids. I have three younger brothers for whom I would do anything. Our home was stable—we took family trips to Wisconsin Dells, went to the movies, and spent time together. School came easy to me, and making friends was never a challenge. I kept busy with sports or just hanging out.
Everything seemed normal until 10th grade. At 15, my friends and I started experimenting with weed and alcohol. At first, it was just here and there, but before I knew it, I was using every weekend—then every day. It did not feel like a problem because life still seemed normal. I graduated high school and went straight into trade school.
My mom was my world. She sacrificed so much to ensure I had every opportunity—driving me to practices, attending my games, and always supporting me. My stepdad tried to be there for me, but I pushed him away. Looking back, I don’t know why. I had good parents, but something inside me kept me from letting him in.
At first, my addiction seemed manageable. It was just partying, or so I thought. But eventually, it led to real consequences—an OUI, credit card fraud, and retail theft.
“I have hope for the future for the first time in a long time, and I know I am on the right path.”
My family and I grew distant. Communication became minimal. My addiction led me to cheat, lie, and destroy relationships.
After high school, life was good for a while. I had a nice place, a solid job, and money. But when I lost my job, everything changed. I moved back in with my parents, but two days later, they kicked me out for smoking in the house. With nowhere else to go, I ended up in a drug house. By my second day there, I lost another job because I was getting high all night and slept through my shift. That was the breaking point— I couldn’t stay in that place any longer.
For the next seven months, my life spiraled into partying, barely scraping by to pay rent. I woke up every morning feeling empty. It didn’t matter if I was high, with a girl, or surrounded by friends—nothing filled the void. Deep down, I knew I needed a change.
One of the biggest wake-up calls came when my face ended up all over Facebook, for the third time in a month for stealing. In a small town, news spreads fast, and there’s nowhere to hide. My parents were worried and told me about the Adult & Teen Challenge in Northeastern Wisconsin. But I was too prideful to listen. It wasn’t until I lost yet another job and couldn’t pay rent that I finally had no choice.
I refused to end up back in a bad situation, so on July 15, 2024, I walked through the doors of ATCNEW.
Since entering the program, my life has changed in more ways than I could have imagined. I have restored my relationship with my family, built a personal relationship with God, gained discipline, and developed true friendships with my brothers here. I have hope for the first time in a long time, and I know I am on the right path.