Guest Contributor – Chris Drapala
I spent most of my teen years and all of my adult life in the throes of alcohol. The last 5–6 years before I got sober were the darkest of my life. I became disconnected from family and friends, my health deteriorated, and while I continued with my career, I was merely showing up.
I had turned my back on God and did not want to live anymore. I had prayed many nights that it would be my last, and yet I would continue to wake up the next morning. That changed in July 2013 when I decided to get the help I needed. I knew if I kept living the way I was living, I was going to die. So, after coming out of another blackout, I made the decision to get help.
After numerous attempts to find a treatment center that would accept me due to my failing health, I began my journey of sobriety on July 9th. That night was a true life changer—I coded twice but was revived, and the healing began. Through my recovery in the hospital and later at a treatment facility, I reconnected with God and finally, after many years of being a slave to alcohol, I was free.
Since then, I have been blessed with new relationships with family and friends and a community of people who have recovered. I recently celebrated my 12th sober birthday, and it continues to be my commitment to help others regain the hope that was lost and to live the life they were meant to live.
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