After growing up watching his father struggle with substance abuse, Jeremy found himself trapped in the same cycle of addiction as he became a father himself. “For all my childhood into my twenties, my father struggled with crack cocaine addiction,” Jeremy said. “I saw what the chains of addiction did to my father.” 

Unfortunately, despite his father’s battle with addiction, Jeremy would find himself in a similar battle with substance abuse. For years, Jeremy admits he was selfish and only cared about “feeding this need to feel good.” He confesses he would drink excessively and use substances to feel like he could function when in reality, he was hurting everyone around him.  

Jeremy would hit several “rock bottoms” but could never break the cycle of abuse.  

Then he found himself as a single father just 10 days after his son’s birth after escaping an abusive relationship.  

Combined with the loss of a close friend due to a fentanyl overdose, he knew he had to get clean to build a brighter future for himself and his son. “I knew that could have been me,” Jeremy says. “That pain pushed me into sobriety.” This confluence of events would become the wake-up call that finally started him on the path to sobriety.  

That’s when he found United Way Strong Individuals and Families Impact Partner Lifetime Recovery. With support, he found structure and accountability with his counselors, who have helped keep his sobriety on track.

Jeremy learned how to create healthy habits, entered into a sober living home, received counseling and therapy that “broke down walls” while building his confidence back up. “It wasn’t just therapy, it was learning how to live again,” he said. “They gave me a chance and I used that chance to build a new life.” 

Both Jeremy and his father are sober today and his father even helps co-parent his son. Jeremy’s life is back on track, including his career and education. He has a full-time job and is attending college in hopes of earning a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity.  

“My son won’t have to watch his dad fight addiction, he will get to grow up knowing freedom,” Jeremy said. 

 With United Way’s support, Jeremy was given the tools he needed to regain his sobriety and has built a stronger foundation for his family’s future.

Watch Jeremy’s story on our YouTube channel.