On the Right Path:
Leading, Healing and Giving Back
Ian, 34, returned to Helping Up Mission after hitting a wall in his addiction, and this time, he has found peace, purpose and a new family.
“I was lost in every way, trapped in addiction, weighed down by anxiety and depression, and barely holding my life together,” Ian says. His life revolved around marijuana. “It was the first thing I did in the morning and the last thing I did at night. I couldn’t sleep without it. I couldn’t function without it.”
His relationships were falling apart. “I was constantly upset, constantly arguing. I couldn’t connect with anyone. My life was chaos.”
Ian first came to HUM in 2022 after his mother, who was in the VA program, told him about the Mission. But he wasn’t ready. “I was rushing through it, still holding onto my way of doing things. Eventually, I left.”
He returned in August 2024. “I called friends and mentors from HUM and told them where I was at. They all said the same thing, ‘Go back. You have a family there.’”
“This time around, I’m not rushing the process. I told myself, I’ll stay on the path—whatever it takes, for however long it takes. I had to surrender, be quiet, listen.”
Today, Ian is thriving. He has earned certifications in Wilderness First Aid, CPR and AED. He leads the Trail Team, helps with Bible studies and will begin seminary in August
“There’s healing in being outside. I love seeing the guys light up when they learn to pitch a tent or hike a trail for the first time,” he shares.
“Helping Up Mission has given me a new life and a new family. It’s amazing what happens when you surrender your will to God. He promised a better life, and He is keeping that promise.”
