05/21/2026
Birthplace: Greensboro, NC
Substance use history: 28 years
Incarceration Time: 11 years
Sobriety Date: July 25th, 2022
Time at New Beginnings: 2 years
Current Employment: Inventory Coordinator, Vanguard Furniture (5 years)
Fit for Service status: Completed
“My worst days sober are better than my best days drinking”
Growing up, Sam was exposed to drugs and alcohol at an early age. With a family history of addiction, he was predisposed to developing addictive behaviors. Sam’s drug and alcohol use began at the young age of 13, and unfortunately, due to his chaotic family environment, he was easily drawn into the lifestyle. As he got older, he began using harder drugs, which led to risky behaviors and criminal involvement.
At the age of 18, Sam was sentenced to 8 years in prison for a conspiracy charge and remained behind bars until he was 26. Despite the presence of drugs and alcohol in prison, Sam made the conscious decision to stay away from them after witnessing their damaging effects on others. However, upon his release, Sam struggled to reintegrate into society and his addiction took hold once again.
Over the next decade, he went in and out of treatments, detoxes, and was constantly in trouble with the law. Sam described his active addiction as committing su***de on a daily basis. The physical and emotional toll was extensive. As a result, he was not present in the lives of his many children from different relationships.
At the age of 33, Sam was incarcerated again for various drug charges and remained behind bars until he was 36. Upon his release, he learned that the mother of his twins had overdosed. He also faced other family challenges, including the death of his 2-year-old daughter. This was a turning point for Sam, and he made the decision to change his life and take responsibility for his actions.
He got sober for a short time, but it wasn't until he entered an Oxford house that he truly began his recovery journey. After 6 months at the Oxford house, he transitioned to New Beginnings and completed a 2-year stay there. Although challenging at times, Sam quickly built a community of like-minded people in recovery. He remains connected to his recovery community and is actively involved in service work. Sam has worked tirelessly on his spiritual growth and personal development, completely transforming himself. He often shares his story in recovery meetings and is proud to have completed the "Fit for Service" program.
Today, Sam is a proud and present father, grandfather, and friend to many in the program. His family has been his main motivation for staying sober, and he is always willing to help others in need. Sam uses his experiences to help others and meet them where they are in their own recovery journey. He continues to be an active member of New Beginnings, working weekends, counseling others, and leading a recovery book study meeting. Sam is highly respected within the recovery community in Hickory and is proof that recovery is possible.
Advice for people in active addiction:
“Change is hard for anybody, especially addicts, but if you can turn your life over to God, you can recover.”
“If someone like me can recover, anyone can. No matter how desperate the case is, recovery is possible.”
Ready to begin your transformation? Learn more about our residential program.
