10/01/2025
Octobers Recovery Story:
Hello, my name is Jeffrey R. my birthday is August 29, 1986. I am 39 years old. I was born in Cleveland Ohio.
Growing up as a kid, I had a wonderful mother that did all she could for my brother and sister and me. There was always a lot of addiction in our family. Two of my mom‘s brothers, and her only sister are dead as a direct result from addiction.
So that means my grandparents had to put three kids to rest before they passed away.
As a young kid, I know what drinking and drugs where my family drink and party a lot, however, my mother knew what it really was and did the best she could to shelter us from it, but I could not wait to drink and no matter what she would do to keep us away, I was going to find a way to drink.
Problem for me with drinking and using started right away I started drinking at the age of 13 years old, not every day… it was whenever I could.
In high school, I play sports baseball and wrestling. I excelled in the sport of wrestling and was one of the best in the state of Ohio.
This is when my drinking started to happen. I was a young freshman 14 years old and started varsity so my peers were all older 18 and 19 years old and going away to college parties all the time.
I knew I drank differently from the start. I was a blackout drinker right off the bat. In between my 10th grade and 11th grade, I got arrested for the first time and sent a treatment for the first time I was 16 years old.
It did not stick, but a sea was planted. I was a long way from stopping using.
For the next 23 years of my life, it was consumed with alcohol and drug addiction. I was in and out of jails, psych hospitals, homeless, and was 100% absolutely hopeless.
I have kids and I have a family that had to sit back crying and heartbroken by the way, I was living in and out AA and never stayed I always thought I would beat the game one day.
I was OK being a drunk loser as long as I stayed drunk and drinking and getting high was all I had lonely and helpless
The last year I was out there was the pits of hell, I was absolutely insane and had to drink to stop myself from going into DT’s and I was in the hospital four times.
Then on November 11, 2023 I got my fifth OVI in Rocky River, two weeks later I got a domestic violence. Looking back on that today this is where God started his magic with me, though I did not see it then.
I know I had to do something to stop and I knew that I was 100% powerless and could not stop so one more trip to detox.
I want to Stella’s on January 12, 2023 and I came to The Rock January 18, 2023.
This is where my sober journey starts. When I first got to the Keating center, I went because I had so many court problems at the same point I really wanted to stay sober, but I was unable to fully surrender my will,, absolutely. As a result, I got drunk too more times both times Marty allowed me to try again. No words can ever say the love and gratitude I have from Marty and the Keating Center.
On September 3, 2024, I came back from a weeklong bender a mental wreck and three days in I had a spiritual awakening. I felt the love from my God and through all my friends. I knew that I was right where I needed to be.
I got a sponsor, which I absolutely trust in love. I went through the 12 steps for the first time in my life.
I changed jobs and started something new. I worked with all sober guys From The Rock, and slowly my life started changing.
Today I have peace inside of me that never in my life I have ever felt.
I can’t say enough about how much I love the Keating center Marty Taft and everyone there. It changed my life thank you Keating Center.
Sincerely, Jeffrey R.
