Mark first walked through our doors in 2017, seeking help for opioid addiction. Today, he is five and a half years sober, a property owner, and is studying to become a real estate agent. It’s the invaluable support of our donors that make stories like Mark’s possible.
“I’m from a small town. A lot of my older cousins were on drugs, which influenced me,” says Mark. “I joined the military at 17 to escape that environment, but when I got back, my life deteriorated.” Following his military career, Mark struggled with addiction, which ultimately landed him in prison. Upon his release, he was paroled in Reno, where he had nowhere to go and no local family to support him. “I stayed at a homeless shelter from 2016–2017,” he recalls. “I still had an opioid addiction. It was a Tuesday; I overdosed at around two in the morning. That same week, I overdosed again on Thursday.” It was these back-to-back overdoses that got him referred to HOPES by St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center. Through the MAT program at HOPES, Mark was able to maintain sobriety and turn his life around. “HOPES has been a constant support. In the beginning, I used to go there every single day, just to stay clean and to find someone to keep me accountable,” he says. “One day, it clicked – I realized there’s more to life than drugs. Now I’m into finance and real estate and I own three houses. It’s all about persistence and taking things one step at a time.”
Mark hopes his story inspires both those who are struggling with addiction and donors like you who make getting to the other side of addiction possible.
“I’ve been to prison, I’ve been in jail, and I’ve been to five different rehabs. I’ve overdosed eight times. That’s all in the past now, although it’s still part of my story.”
He attributes his continued sobriety and trajectory to those who supported him at his lowest, including the dedicated team at HOPES. “The MAT program has really been my foundation. Without it and without HOPES, none of this would have been possible. It’s been a long road, but with the right support, it’s possible to turn things around. I’m grateful for the support from HOPES and my family.”
Find out more about our MAT program here.
