Alumni of the Month Connor

My names Connor, and I am a proud Alumni of Last Door.

I showed up on the steps of the Last Door in February 2015, broken, scared, and absolutely defeated by the last few years of addiction. I was 23, from a good home, people who supported me, and blessed with every opportunity in the world to succeed, but no matter what I had tried I could not stop using. My Family had been trying to encourage me to consider treatment for a while, but I insisted on doing it alone. It wasn’t until a family friend who was also an Alumni of Last Door came and spoke to me after yet another failed attempt at getting clean on my own, that I began to listen. There was something about the way that this man spoke, he talked about the same feelings I was feeling, being the same places I had been, and how this incredible house in New Westminster had saved his life. When he spoke I believed him, I could feel the energy he had for this place, and decided to go see it for myself.

I had an idea of what treatment was going to be like, lab coats, locked up at night, people talking about the worst thing that had ever happened to them, you know, stuff you see in movies right? When I arrived at Last Door I was pleasantly surprised, I walked into a house full of guys, happy, full of energy, and eager to welcome me with open arms.  When I talked about what had gone on over the last few years, I met people who related, but had also found a solution. There was challenging days at Last Door, but a house full of guys that helped me face those challenges head on, and find a new way to live. During my time at the house I met dozens of men that were alumni of Last Door, they’d stop by and bring pizza and ice cream, take the time to talk about recovery, and the incredible lives they were living as the result of staying clean. I was inspired and wanted a life like that for my family and myself.

Over the course of 5 months living at the Door, I was given the opportunity to really get involved and participate in every aspect of the house. When I was brand new I used to hangout in the Kitchen with our Chef Jordan, helping him prepare meals and having some laughs. I can still remember the feeling I got from helping put a good meal on the table for the other guys in the house, self-esteem, and self worth. Last Door gave me that room to grow, be myself, and find purpose. In that 5 months I was in treatment with some pretty incredible guys, lots of which are still clean, and some of which are my closest friends in the world today. We still do all the stuff that we were taught to do living at the house, go to meetings, stop by the house, eat good food, have too many laughs, help crazy new guys, be nice to our Moms, and most of all have some fun while doing it.

I have the life I have today, because Last Door believes in me, they believe in recovery, and they inspired me to believe in myself. My Mom has a Son today because of what I learned at Last Door. I showed up a broken and scared kid, and piece-by-piece the people of Last Door helped me grow up and take responsibility for my life.  I will forever be indebted to Last Door, and the people that are involved with it for the life I have today. Last Door is more than just the treatment center I cleaned up at, it’s my home, my second family. 2 years clean, and it’s pretty damn good. They tell me it keeps getting better though, so I’m going to stick around, keep doing the work, and find out for myself.  More vacations with friends in recovery, more laughs, more meetings, more living life to the fullest. Tough deal, right? If you’re reading this and thinking treatment might be a good option for you, do yourself and the people that love you a favor, and pick up the phone. It might just be the best decision you ever make. I know getting clean was the best one I ever made.

A grateful recovering addict, and Door Boy

Connor G.

February 8 2015