[Story] From homeless to rockstar in 475 days

The first two pictures are roughly 500 days ago. The second two are from the last week.
I’m Joshua, 38 years old, and today I’m celebrating 475 days of sobriety and I'm so proud of myself. When I look back at where I was just a couple of years ago, the contrast is staggering. For nearly three decades, I was trapped in a cycle of alcohol addiction that started when I was just 11 years old. At my lowest point, I was homeless for four months, drinking half a gallon of cheap $9 vodka every day, and I had completely alienated myself from my friends and family.

But everything changed when I decided to make the hardest and most necessary journey of my life: my “walk of atonement.” I walked 13 miles to get to detox, a journey that felt like the first real step toward redemption. It wasn’t easy. I was physically and emotionally broken, but I knew that if I didn’t make that walk, I might not have another chance. That walk was my turning point.

After detox, I went to rehab and then lived in a sober house. I started rebuilding my life from the ground up. At 37, I decided to go back to school – something I hadn’t thought was possible for me. Today, I have a 3.93 GPA, and I’m proud to say that I’ve worked for every bit of that achievement. It’s a reminder that even when you hit rock bottom, there’s always a way back up.

A huge part of my recovery has been building healthy routines. Every morning, I meditate, stretch for 15 minutes, and go to the gym. I referee hockey on weekends, which keeps me connected to a sport I love. My relationship with food has also evolved – I eat healthy about 80% of the time, but I don’t restrict myself when it comes to enjoying treats the other 20%. This balance has given me a healthy, stress-free relationship with food.

One of the most amazing changes in my life since getting sober is finding love again. After six years of being single, I’m now in a happy, supportive relationship. My girlfriend has been an incredible part of my journey, and I’m grateful every day that I’ve found someone to share this new chapter of my life with.

The road to recovery also meant mending broken relationships with my family. My relationship with my parents, especially my dad, was shattered during my drinking years. It’s not perfect now, and it may never be what it once was, but we’re healing. That’s more than I could have ever hoped for when I was deep in my addiction.

I’ve also been in therapy, working through the trauma of my brother’s untimely death in 2017 and addressing the deeper issues that fueled my addiction. Healing is a long, ongoing process, but I’m proud of the work I’ve done. Every day, I’m learning to accept, forgive, and move forward.

On top of everything else, I quit smoking cigarettes and have been nicotine-free since September 10, 2023. After years of chain-smoking, it was one of the last chains of addiction I needed to break.

I’m posting this because I want to let others who are struggling know that there is hope. I spent years believing I would never escape the prison of addiction. I was homeless, broken, and had lost all hope. But with determination, and the willingness to make that first step, I turned my life around.

If you’re reading this and you’re in that dark place, know that there is light on the other side. You just have to take that first step, however hard it might be. It might be your own “walk of atonement.” You can rebuild, mend relationships, and find happiness again.

I’m here to talk if anyone needs to. You’re not alone. We can do this together.