When Alex left The Salvation Army Recovery Community Centre (RCC) to visit his girlfriend without informing other residents, he didn’t expect his phone to blow up with messages of concern, as for the first time in a long time, he felt a sense of belonging.
“My phone rang 100 times. Where are you? What are you doing? I’ve never had that before,” Alex says. “That’s a really good feeling, knowing that there are people who actually care about me and not just want to use me for what I have.”
Located within The Salvation Army Centre of Hope in London, the RCC offers a holistic approach to recovery. Its programming blends psychoeducation, spiritual support, peer-led activities, life skills training, yoga, meditation, and music, providing participants with the tools needed for sustainable healing.
Now eight months sober and free from addiction, 39-year-old Alex describes his time at the RCC, where he is a resident, as the happiest period of his life, a contrast to the trauma he endured growing up.
Childhood Marked by Trauma
“I was raised by alcoholic parents and addicts as well. My father was in and out of jail for most of my younger years,” he says. “I suffered a lot of physical and emotional abuse from my father due to his alcoholism.”
After his parents divorced, Alex’s mother moved the family into low-income housing. Though he performed well in high school, a desire to fit in led him to start socializing with the “cool crowd” at age 15. Soon, he was caught up in partying, drinking, drug use, and eventually, dealing.
In his early adulthood, Alex juggled a heavy substance use habit with a high-paying job at a salvage yard. But after receiving a promotion that brought him to a facility in Toronto, his life took another turn. His mother suffered the first of two strokes. When her health declined, Alex left his job and returned to London to care for her.
“I just remember the day when I was sitting in my bedroom, the door was open, and I heard a big fall. Something happened and my mother had her second stroke right in front of me,” Alex recalls.
She passed away a few days later.
His mother left an inheritance for her two sons.
“It was probably the worst thing that could have ever happened to me in my state; being an alcoholic and drug addict, it just kicked it into fifth gear,” Alex says. “I then spent the next three years of my life not working, living off an inheritance and spending it very irresponsibly, mostly on drugs and alcohol.”
As the money dwindled, Alex returned to dealing. He struggled with rent, lost his car to repossession, and saw his mental health impacted by the grief of losing his mother, whom he cared deeply for.
“Everything was just falling apart to the point where I was kicked out of my apartment, and I had to stay with my cousin. I didn’t want to live anymore,” he says.
Lifesaving Intervention
After attempting to take his own life, Alex was found unconscious and rushed to a London hospital. He remained there for two months, receiving mental health care and working with an addiction counsellor who recommended the RCC. That’s when he connected with Salvation Army caseworker Diana Rank.
Just a day before his hospital discharge, Alex learned there was a room for him at the RCC, marking the beginning of his recovery journey.
Alex regularly meets with the RCC Chaplain and proactively participates in free counselling services offered through an innovative Salvation Army partnership with King’s University College School of Social Work. He also has an Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor, who not only supports his sobriety but also gave him a part-time job.
A Brighter Future
As soon as he arrived at RCC, Alex said he loved the environment immediately.
“I’m surrounded by like-minded individuals who all have the same goal. We all want to get clean from our addictions, and we all want to be better people. The confidence that I get from being around something like that keeps me on the right path,” Alex says.
Looking ahead, Alex dreams of opening his own business. For the past three months, he’s been training under the mentorship of an owner of a detailing shop.
“I want to be teachable, and I want to learn this business and I’m very serious about it. In my spare time, I’ve been going over there, I’ve been watching all these YouTube videos, educating myself in my spare time to know the business and to do it properly,” Alex says.
He has a heartfelt message for Diana and the team at RCC, who helped him reach this turning point in life.
“Thank you for letting me be the person that I was truly meant to be. This place saved my life, and countless others here can say the exact same thing. I’ve never been so happy in my entire life.”
Donations to The Salvation Army ensure programs like the Recovery Community Centre continue in support of people like Alex. Contribute today at www.SalvationArmy.ca or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
