By Eric V., Appleton
Owner, New Chapter Construction

Yesterday, I was living a life that looked successful on the outside. After five years of continuous sobriety through 12-step recovery, I had built myself up to become a district retail manager. But addiction doesn't check résumés, and I eventually relapsed.

Within just 18 months of heavy cocaine use, I lost everything: my career, my home, the trust of my family and friends, and the relationship with my daughters. I found myself homeless, sleeping in parks and parking garages in the dead of winter. It was in one of those desperate moments that grace found me.

I ran into an old friend at the public library where I was trying to get warm. He was staying at Apricity’s Mooring House and encouraged me to apply. That encounter, one I believe was guided by a higher power, opened the door to something new.

Today, I walk a path illuminated by accountability, structure, and support. At Mooring House, I was embraced by a team who saw the person beneath the pain. They gave me space to heal, through cognitive behavioral therapy, one-on-one guidance, and structured reintegration. With Mason, my counselor, I began to believe in myself again. I volunteered, showed up to meetings, reconnected with my higher power.

I wasn’t just surviving; I was rebuilding. I stopped obsessing over what I’d lost and started investing in the man I was becoming. It was no longer about shame. It was about showing up.

Tomorrow, I build on the foundation I’ve laid, one brick at a time. With a fellow man in recovery, I co-founded a business specializing in concrete, asphalt repair, and building restoration. But this isn’t just about paving roads; it’s about paving futures. Our long-term mission is to create safe, sober living spaces across the Fox Valley.

I now live independently through the Mooring House MAP program, attend meetings, and continue working the steps. I’m over 90 days clean and counting, with hope in my chest and faith at my feet.

Recovery taught me that we don’t undo the past, we repurpose it. So, this Recovery Month, I celebrate not what I’ve lost, but all I’ve gained: clarity, purpose, and a future worth fighting for.