Drug addiction was a big part of my life from 17 to 21 years old. It took losing everything and getting arrested and being putting in jail before I realized the things I was doing were self-destructive and wrong. After spending eight months in jail, and burning every bridge in my family, I was court order to go to rehab. I spent four months at the crossroads mission. After the four months, I decided I wasn’t ready to leave so I stayed a few more months until I got a job. But my newfound recovery wasn’t just a phase. It was a lifestyle. During my time at the crossroads mission I got very involved in narcotics, anonymous and alcoholics anonymous. I found a sponsor and after a couple years, I became a sponsor. It took a long time but today I’m able to say that I am powerless against drugs and alcohol. I put all that energy that I put into getting drugs and alcohol into my education and it’s got me into graduate school. The mistakes I made yesterday made me the man I am today.