RECOVERY STORY OF THE MONTH

My name is Chad G., a true alcoholic. My sobriety date is November 11, 2021, and thanks to the Ed Keating center, AA, and an amazing support group, I have not had any desire to pick up a drink or drug since that day.

I am 42 years old and came from a loving family of my Mom, Dad, older brother, older sister, and my little brother. I don’t have any crazy story about seeing adults drink and wanting to try it. I can say that looking back, the signs were there before I had a drink at all, in any form. My parents did an amazing job and always instilled morals and values.

… the signs were there before I had a drink at all …

When I was 13, I experienced the out-of-self feeling from a couple forms of alcohol, and I immediately loved it! That feeling changed me at my core immediately. I changed the way I treated people and how I acted. By the time I was 18, I had turned to crime as a source of income and way of life. Once I was arrested and seen that jail wasn’t as bad as it sounded, that was no longer a fear. Skipping ahead, my disease lead me to being completely homeless, not caring about myself, my kids, or my future. Addiction took me to a dark place, it almost beat me and took me out.

On November 11, 2021 I had no fight left in me, I asked God for help and promised that if he would help me, I would try to make improvements to my life. I was arrested shortly after for looking like someone that had stolen from the store I was in. In jail, I asked to please send me to the Keating Center in Cleveland, Ohio, and two judges thought that was exactly what I needed. I arrived at The Keating Center on December 10, 2021, a scared, defeated man.

I arrived at The Keating Center on December 10, 2021, a scared, defeated man.

With help and guidance from Marty, AA, my sponsor, my support group, and a God that I have come to know and trust, my life has gotten better than I could have ever imagined or hoped for! Through working the steps and incorporating them in my life, I am blessed to have repaired many of the relationships that I all but destroyed. I am not just existing or being alive… I am able to live today! I can not only be there and be accountable, people actually want help from me today. It is an honor and a privilege to have a chance to give back to not only the program but, also to have the opportunity to share my story of how The Ed Keating Center and AA saved my life. Thank you AA, Thank you God and thank you Marty and the entire Keating Center family!