I was born January 25^th, 1985 in Apple Valley, CA. My Father, Mother and older brother lived in Victorville near the mall off Petaluma, I believe. My younger brother was born February 29^th, 1988. If I am correct my parents divorced shortly after. For whatever reason my younger brother and I went with my father and we lived between his parents and my mom’s in OC. Around the age of 7 we moved to Mission Beach, San Diego where we remained until I was about 11. I smoked weed for the first time around this age and this al also around the time both of my grandparents passed away. As far as I could tell it majorly affected my Dad. He inherited a large amount of money and moved my little brother and me to Northern California and he drank heavily. Sp when I came to visit my mom during the summer between 7^th and 8^th grade, I decided to stay, but luckily my little brother returned otherwise I think my father would have been completely devastated. I began to smoke weed regularly with my friends and older half-brother. The summer of ’99 my mom was given some property in Baldy Mesa so we moved up to the High Desert and I started freshman year at Serrano High School. My pot use continued and then alcohol came into play. I was n average student but fell short of graduating because my senior year I ditched a lot so I got my diploma from Chaparral (continuation school). I then went to U.T.I in Phoenix where Cocaine came into the mix and was drinking daily, but still I maintained perfect attendance and got my associates degree in HVAC (which I never did anything with) and a 3.98 GPA. When I returned home my mother was with a biker and using drugs. My cocaine use and alcoholism continued and was going nowhere. I eventually started dating a High School friend (around 2005) and things started looking better. Her Dad got me a job in the union as a drywall finisher. We eventually got married, bought a house, and became pregnant. Life was good minus a relationship with God. I started racing motocross with my brother in law at all the local tracks. By this time my wife and I stopped doing coke but I smoked weed and drank daily. I ended up fracturing my foot on my dirt bike and that is when I was introduced to painkillers and instantly I fell in love. I became extremely selfish. I was a great financial provider but that was it. My second son was born around this time (2011). By 2013 she wanted a divorce and it devastated me. My drug and alcohol use intensified and I got several DUIs back to back. I lost everything including my job and I could no longer afford my opiate addiction so I was introduced to Meth (at 33 years old). I stayed up for several weeks and lost it. So I moved to North Carolina where my mom moved years prior and I became a Christian (on 11/08/2019). After yet another DUI I finally gave my life over to the Lord. Once my mind was clear and I was housed in the working dorm. He immediately removed my anxiety and my desire to drink. It was a straight up miracle. I’ve made mistakes since then but I have not had a drop of alcohol or drugs besides weed.

–Rick Kaer