Ryan Was Given A Chance

After years of struggle and hardship, Ryan will be two years sober this September (2026). “I finally dealt with the root of the problem. Before, I didn’t want to talk about my past, but in talking about it I realized I don’t have to carry that burden anymore.”

              His journey to recovery was a long and winding road, but as he entered Step Toward Success and then Garden Lofts, things began to really change for him. Having his own quiet space helped him immensely.  “To be able to come home and relax at the end of a workday means the world to me. Garden Lofts is a fantastic program. I was surprised about how nice this building and this place is.” 

              Ryan believes that the building’s location is very supportive of his recovery and helps him maintain his momentum. “It’s a nice, calm and peaceful place. It allows you to focus on yourself and you don’t have to worry about all the other negativity in the world.”

He also appreciates all the different activities that staff regularly hold at the program like wellness days and picnics.  “It’s nice because some people don’t have that type of support system. Some people don’t have people in their lives to throw a BBQ or get new clothes with them,” said Ryan.

When asked what helps to keep him motivated, there were two things most important to him: “My son is an inspiration to me. Wanting to provide him with the life I never had. Take him to go do fun things, be able to afford things we were never able to afford as a kid. Taking him to new experiences like WrestleMania and monster jam, share these things together. We’ll be going fishing this weekend for the first time ever. He’s such a good kind kid and I want to be a dad he can be proud of.”

              Maintaining relationships with his family helps to maintain his momentum in recovery.  “Waking up knowing I have the love of my beautiful fiancé, and she cares and wants me to succeed. She’s truly my cheerleader. I love being with her and spending time with her. Knowing that no matter what I go through, my fiancé is equipped with all the info to help me.”

              But Ryan doesn’t just want to help himself and his immediate family, he wants to help others see that change is possible. “I have a crazy story. I’ve had cancer, multiple long term and highly serious physical injuries that left me in the hospital for months. I want to be an inspiration for people. If I can make it through all the things I made it through, you can too.”

              When Ryan was asked what he’d like the community to understand about Substance Use Addiction and Treatment, he was open and honest:

“I always make it a point to say that I used to be addicted to drugs, but I have changed. We can change but we’re held down by the stigmas of our past. People don’t look at how far we’ve come from being that person. I went a long time not even seeing home, 10 years, but I’ve been able to repair relationships with my family, my parents. It’s a big thing for the community to recognize that we can change from the people we used to be.”