Connor D. successfully completed Turnbridge’s program in December of 2011, marking a milestone in his recovery efforts. After several years of halfhearted attempts to change his way of life, Connor made the personal decision to adopt a sober lifestyle and he has maintained his sobriety for two and a half years. According to Connor, he began smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol at the age of 12. At 16, he tore his rotator cuff while playing football and doctors prescribed the painkiller Percocet. “That was the biggest day of my life, when I tried opiates,” Connor said. “It changed everything. Everything went to shit after that and it pretty much ruined my football career.” Connor drank heavily and began using other drugs, particularly Oxycontin and heroin. He failed out of three colleges and his lifestyle eventually led him to sleeping on park benches and eating out of trashcans in Boston. Shortly after turning 18, Connor entered his first detox. “Pretty much the same as everybody else, my family said I had to go,” Connor said. “I was going nowhere fast and getting into trouble.” At this point in his life, Connor was not fully committed to recovery and admittedly entered several detox and treatment programs for “wrong reasons,” to appease his parents and to have a square meal and a warm bed. According to Connor, there were two moments that stand out as being critical in his decision to life a sober live. “One time I was in Boston, lying on a park bench, praying that this next shot that I was about to do would kill me,” Connor said. “I was perfectly fine with slipping into that sleep.” Connor was kicked out of his family’s house shortly after that incident, but eventually convinced his mother to let him come back. During dinner, he agreed to try drug rehab again but overdosed in the bathroom that same night. When he awoke, he was surrounded by the fearful faces of loved ones, a memory that has helped push him to work hard in recovery. “I think about that all the time,” Connor said. “I put a lot of stress on my family. I didn’t have a good relationship with my father and I was killing my sister and mom. I left at 18, but came back randomly. I would cause damage and leave again and I kind of messed up family life.” Connor came into Turnbridge’s program in December 2010 and graduated the following December. With the help of Turnbridge’s phased program and the constant support of staff, his condition began to improve and he made positive changes to his lifestyle. “I think the structure of Turnbridge definitely helped me,” Connor said. “On my part, I was so beat down, and ready to be done. I did everything they told me. I got a good sponsor and he’s pretty much my best friend today. I still go to meetings. The phases helped me. Turnbridge was what I was looking for.” Before coming to Turnbridge, Connor worked for a remodeling company in Massachusetts, primarily as a means of supporting his drug habit. During his time at Turnbridge, he was hired by the head of maintenance and continued to learn more about the trade. After graduating, Connor began working with a home renovation business in lower Fairfield County. Since then, he has been promoted to Lead Carpenter, and has managed to turn what was once a means-to-an-end job into a career. “I actually like myself now,” Connor said. “I like who I see in the mirror. I’m not ashamed, I’m not running, and I’m not afraid to face life sober. I stopped giving people so much power over me. I’m making amends with my family and we have the best relationship ever. I’m making it known that I’m trying to live differently. I’ve never had it so good. My relationship with my family is beautiful today. I love my family and thanks for the support to all my friends at Turnbridge.”