The road of recovery is real-world, and in that spirit we gratefully share this letter, unedited & in its entirety, from a valued Client as our blog post this week.

“When I first came to know Jamie, Rick, and Chris from Sober Escorts, my son had been in and out of six of the best treatment centers in the US, with every discharge followed by a relapse. We both knew he had to do something differently. To his credit, at the time of his most recent discharge, my son knew better than to try to come home. He also knew he couldn’t manage sobriety alone and a sponsor wasn’t enough. So he asked for a sober companion to help him navigate the risky days of early recovery. The difference the professional team at Sober Escorts has made, and continues to make, in my son’s and my life is nothing short of miraculous. Within two weeks of discharge, my son’s sober coach Chris had made sure he had found a home group and a network of strong men with solid sobriety willing to take him under their wing. He had taken him to social outings where he could experience fun and camaraderie in sobriety, and to an awesome church where he could be part of a faith community he was cool with. He had made sure he had goals, daily assignments, healthy food in the fridge, an exercise regimen, and decent clothes to wear to job interviews. As importantly, this time around I had a team too. People who got me, got my issues and my fears, and could help me stay in good recovery from my disease of co-dependency. For the first time in six years, I had peace of mind, knowing that someone after treatment and with great skill and care got my son, his issues and his fears, and cared – deeply and profoundly cared – about his sobriety. I could breathe again. Within three weeks he had a job. Within five, a paycheck and a relapse. I share this to point out that no level of care, skill, love, counsel, or support can prevent a relapse. Only the addict or alcoholic can do that. But the critical – and life-saving role – that care, love, counsel, and support from a team like Sober Escorts plays is keeping the door to sobriety open so that our loved ones can walk back through without shame or judgment, into a hug and a loving reprimand when they’re ready to be done. When my son got back into treatment at 1:00 AM early that Wednesday morning, it was Chris he called, not me. Enough said. Despite the fact that Sober Escorts has other clients, in my conversations with Jamie or Chris – whether it’s been at 8:00 on a Sunday morning or 11:30 on a Friday night, they have made me feel as if my son’s needs and mine are their only priority. They have shared their experience, strength, and hope with me over and over again. They believe in my son. They see the person he was created to be, and they are going to help him fight for him to prevail one day at a time against this vicious disease. For once, I feel I have companions on this journey of tears and triumphs. While I don’t know what my son’s future choices will be, I do know that he will have choices to make because Sober Escorts saved his life. And will I retain Sober Escorts again, once he’s ready for the next discharge? Damn straight I will!”

– CD, Client’s Mother, Florida, United States