In 2009, everything changed for Preston with a single accident. What began with prescription pain medication after a dirt bike injury slowly spiraled into a heroin addiction that would take hold of his life for years. But one decision made just days before Christmas would change everything. The Road to Addiction After a dirt bike accident in 2009 left him injured, doctors prescribed pain pills to manage the pain. At first, it seemed harmless, but like many people during the opioid crisis, the prescription slowly turned into dependence. By 2012, when prescription pills became harder to get, someone at work offered a cheaper alternative. “They said, ‘I can get you something better and cheaper,’” he remembers. “You try it first, and then they tell you it’s heroin. I was like, ‘I don’t do heroin.’ And they said, ‘Yeah… you do now.’” From 2012 to 2015 heroin addiction took hold of his life. The people around him were using too, and the lifestyle became normal. Eventually everything began to fall apart. “I remember looking in a drawer one day and realizing there was nothing left—just pencils and random stuff. Nothing of value. That’s when it really hit me how empty my life had become.” A Christmas Turning Point In December 2015, just days before Christmas, he finally reached a breaking point. “I told my mom I was fed up. I said, ‘Let’s figure this out. I need help.’” He found Cedar House Life Change Center and entered detox on December 16, 2015. Originally, he planned to stay only the required seven days. But recovery rarely begins smoothly. One night during detox he woke up and asked to use the phone. “I called everyone in my family and told them I hated them because they wouldn’t come pick me up. I didn’t want to be stuck there for Christmas.” The next morning his counselor called him into her office. What she told him that day stayed with him. “If you stay,” she told him, “You’ll miss this one Christmas, but you won’t have to miss all the other Christmases.” Lessons That Stuck His counselor shared another lesson he still carries today. She explained that life is like a backpack. If you throw a bunch of heavy stones into it all at once, you won’t be able to walk. Just like if you try to tackle all of life’s problems at once, you won’t get very far. But if you add just a few metaphorical stones each day and deal with just the issues you can handle, you can keep moving forward and progressing in life. Those simple ideas – taking life one day at a time and not carrying more than you can handle – became powerful tools in his recovery. Although he had entered Cedar House only for detox, his counselor secured three additional days in residential treatment across the hall. At the time he admits he still planned to use again when he left. But during those extra days, something shifted. At a recovery panel he heard a man speak about rebuilding trust with his mother after years of addiction. Preston could relate to that experience of taking advantage of his mom. Hearing him talk about earning her trust back made him realize that was possible for him, too. Rebuilding a Life He left Cedar House the day after Christmas, and his mom picked him up. On the drive home they stopped for food and talked about what came next. With guidance from his counselor, he made a list of everything addiction had taken away from him. Then he began slowly taking those things back. He started spending time with family again, accepting invitations, going to the river, and rebuilding relationships that had been strained by addiction. “You can’t lie to the mirror,” he says. “At the end of the day, you have to do this for yourself.” There were still challenges ahead – court dates, fines, and apologies to make. At one point a judge even rejected a handwritten apology letter he had written, crumpling it up in front of him and telling him it needed to be more sincere. So, he wrote it again. A Future Restored Recovery opened doors he never imagined. He began working in the oil fields in Montana, working one week on and one week off. During that time, he met the woman who would become his wife, and together they built a family with five children. He later returned to California, regained custody of his two older children, and continued rebuilding his life. Six years after leaving Cedar House, he returned to work with Teamsters Local 166 as an inspector on a military base. Today he is proud of the life he has rebuilt and grateful for the second chance he was given. “If I could help even one more person, it would be worth it,” he says. “I wouldn’t wish that life on my worst enemy.” Looking back, he believes the challenges he faced helped shape the person he is today. “Without those struggles, I wouldn’t be who I am now.”

There is nothing quite as powerful as a mother’s love. From the moment her son was born, Sereeta knew she would do everything she could to protect him. She had already experienced the heartbreak of losing her children once, and she was determined never to feel that pain again. Sereeta’s struggle with addiction began at the age of 19. She entered treatment and remained sober for six years, building a life she was proud of. But everything changed when she became a victim of domestic violence. The abuse eventually led to her losing custody of her five children -- a loss that shattered her world and led to relapse. “I could not get away from him. He would try to control me.” Desperate to escape the violence, Sereeta left and began living on the streets. She slept near a shopping center, searching for safety and resources wherever she could find them. One day, at a charity donations center, a woman noticed her and offered help. That connection led Sereeta to Cedar House, where she sought treatment for methamphetamine and marijuana addiction, and where her life began to change. “I knew I wanted a change but didn’t know how.” Years of trauma and loss had taken a toll. Sereeta struggled with anger and didn’t yet know how to process the pain she carried. What surprised her most was the compassion she encountered at Cedar House. Staff members didn’t give up on her. They believed in her, even when she struggled to believe in herself. “I saw that different people had hope in me.” Just one week after arriving at Cedar House, Sereeta was hospitalized. Over the next three weeks, she remained in close contact with staff, calling regularly for reassurance. “I didn’t want to lose my son. I didn’t want to feel that pain again.” After an eight-hour surgery and a blood transfusion, Sereeta gave birth to a healthy baby boy. But the next day, a police officer and social worker arrived at her hospital room with the devastating news that she would not be taking her baby home. Four days later, Sereeta returned to Cedar House with 34 surgical staples, deep emotional wounds, and a renewed determination. “That’s when I believe my journey started. I was fighting for that little boy. I never fought so hard for anything in my life.” The first month was difficult. Sereeta continued to wrestle with anger, grief, and the trauma of her past. “The first month was hard. It was a battle for me.” Over six months at Cedar House, Sereeta did the work. She achieved sobriety, learned healthy ways to manage her anger, and began rebuilding her faith. “I didn’t realize God had something else in store for me. I just had to trust in the process.” After completing treatment, Sereeta transitioned into other supportive housing. Slowly, she began having overnight visits with her son. On August 22, those visits became extended stays. On September 5, she was granted full custody of her baby boy. Today, Sereeta is a full-time Civic Engagement Specialist for a charitable foundation. She lives in her own apartment with her son and spends every other weekend with all of her children. “I have established leadership skills, budgeting skills, and learned how to be a productive member of society as a mother.” Looking back, Sereeta speaks of the “true, honest support” she found at Cedar House. The love and care she received from staff, and even something as simple as an Acceptance Prayer, carried her through moments when she felt overwhelmed. “If it wasn’t for Cedar House, I would still be traumatized by the domestic violence. The staff members showed me love like I’ve never been shown before.” Sereeta’s story is one of resilience, healing, and the power of believing in someone until they can believe in themselves. It is a testament to what is possible when compassion meets commitment, and when a mother is given the support she needs to fight for her future and her family.