Roger loves helping in the kitchen, volunteering, and fellowship with the other men.

He recently celebrated 7 months sober

Roger, 37, has had a life marred by drug addiction. When he was 4 years old, his brother overdosed on heroin. In his teens, Roger started using marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamines, and eventually, moved on to heroin and fentanyl. At 19, Roger and his girlfriend had their first child. Over the next few years, they welcomed two more children. But Roger’s addiction took a toll on his family.

“Due to my drug use, sadly, I destroyed that. I destroyed my family, my kids, and the mother of my children,” Roger said. “I ended up losing custody. It’s been 11 years, and I’ve only seen my children one time since then.” Roger heard about the Mission through a friend, George, a recent program graduate. Roger was originally considering attending a 90- day program, but after speaking with George, Roger was inspired to come to the Mission for help. He knew he needed long-term support.

“The process after getting into the program has been life changing. It’s such a good environment here, they keep us busy. I help in the kitchen, volunteer, go to church, which has all been amazing. It gets us back on track and gives us discipline. I go to the gym every day. I’ve been shown a good life to live.

“I feel the change. I’ve been an addict for so long that I didn’t know I could do it. But I can.”

Director Josie Casarrubias added: “There’s a saying, ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way.’ We take it so lightly and we often say it so casually, but the truth is, that is the biggest step: having the will and the desire. The process is never going to be easy, but the desire and focus of, ‘This is what I’m doing, whatever it takes to get there,’ that was all Roger.”

Roger has begun communicating with his kids’ mother again and she’s happy that he has decided to get help. Roger is hopeful to one day have a relationship with his children again. After graduation, Roger wants to go back to school to get a bachelor’s in architecture.

“I have to give thanks to God because even though He gave me the strength to change now, I was the type of guy to have a Bible in one hand and be injecting heroin (with the other), praying that I didn’t want this lifestyle,” Roger said.

“It’s been a really long journey being an addict. I’ve been an addict for over 17 years. These seven months in the program are the longest I’ve been sober.”

Roger is also grateful that he’s reuniting with his family. “I have a lot of support from my mom and siblings. Before, my sister didn’t speak with me for three years. My brother told me, ‘If you’re not going to change, don’t call me anymore.’ But we all talk now. Now I have a family again.

“If anybody doesn’t believe there’s a God, they really should. If God could get me out of where I was, he can do it for anybody. If you’re alive, there’s still time.”