Sober Date and Turning Point
Hi! My name is Derrick, and this is my recovery story.
My sober date is April 30th, 2019.
That’s the day I closed a chapter of my life—even though my last use was sometime in December of 2018. April 30th is the day I finally chose safety, life, and a way out.
Rock Bottom
My rock bottom wasn’t just drugs. It was an abusive, codependent relationship that kept me sick. Any time I tried to stop using, the abuse escalated. I learned very quickly that staying meant I would be forced to keep using just to survive the chaos. I was using anything I could get my hands on to escape the reality I was living in.
“Hell Day”
There was one day I call “hell day.”
That day changed everything.
My apartment was completely destroyed - doors ripped off hinges, furniture everywhere. I was running from this man, genuinely fearing for my life. I remember jumping on my bed trying to get away, and he threw a chair at my head. I fell backward through my apartment window.
The Moment Everything Changed
Lying there, I knew something very clearly:
If I stayed, I was going to die.
It was snowing. I had no shoes, no shirt, just shorts. I got up, ran past apartment buildings, hid behind one of them, and called my mom. I told her, “If someone doesn’t help me, I know I’m going to die.”
A Life-Saving Intervention
The next morning, my brother showed up, without telling me he was coming. He loaded everything I owned into his truck and brought me to Virginia.
That saved my life.
Early Recovery
Living under my brother’s roof gave me something I hadn’t had in a long time: safety, structure, and accountability. I didn’t know anyone in this state except him. I didn’t have access to drugs. And more than anything, I didn’t want to disrespect his home or the love he showed me.
I didn’t come here strong. I came broken.
But I stayed willing.
Gratitude and Recovery Today
Today, I know my sobriety didn’t start because I was brave, it started because someone loved me enough to step in when I couldn’t save myself. I will forever be indebted to my brother. There is no way I could ever repay him for saving my life.
But I try to honor that gift every day by staying sober, staying honest, and choosing life.
