Justin Hobson

I spent over two decades caught in the chaos of addiction. Heroin and meth stole everything from me — my family, my identity, my health, and my future. I was in and out of jail, homeless in cities I can barely remember, and estranged from my own children. I lived with a needle in my arm and a death wish in my heart. I had given up on ever being anything more than another statistic.

My life changed when I met someone who refused to give up on me. My wife, Kayla, who was also in recovery, looked me in the eyes and told me I was worth saving. With her support, I entered treatment and began to do the hard work of rebuilding my life. I found community in recovery, got involved in service work, and started believing in something bigger than my pain. I committed to healing, even when it hurt, even when it felt impossible.

Today, I am six years sober. I work as a Lead Behavioral Health Technician, guiding others through recovery. I am a college student, studying psychology and sociology with a focus on addiction counseling. I have purpose. I have peace. I have a life that I never thought possible. I still carry the scars of my past, but I carry them with pride, because they remind me of just how far I’ve come. Recovery gave me more than sobriety — it gave me back my soul.