Tyler didn’t plan to become addicted to drugs. No one does. He grew up in a stable home with loving parents, played sports, and had what most would call a “normal” childhood. But like so many others, his story took a detour—and then spun out completely.
When Pain Pills Open the Wrong Door
College for Tyler started out like it does for a lot of young people: parties, weed, the occasional pill. But then Tyler injured his back and was prescribed hydrocodone—and that’s when the wheels really started coming off.
“I was popping like three, four hundred dollars a day worth of Hydros,” he says. When the pills ran out and money got tight, meth stepped in. “It was cheaper. It was easier. And it destroyed everything.”
The Fallout: Broken Relationships, Burned Bridges
Addiction is like a thief in the night; it takes your relationships, your trust, and your dignity. Before long Tyler found himself homeless, bouncing between couches and jail cells, stealing just to get by.
Drug addiction “ruined my family, like my mom disowned me," Tyler said. Tyler had been through four addiction treatment centers by that point. None of them stuck. But when a judge told him, “This is your last chance,” he finally listened.
A Call That Changed Everything
That’s when Tyler called Sunflower Recovery. And that’s when things finally started to shift.
“Dan picked up the phone,” Tyler recalls. “He called everybody—wouldn’t let me off the line until I had a bed. I’d never had anyone fight for me like that.”
From the moment he walked through the door, things felt different. People welcomed him like family, not like a case file. “I finally exhaled,” he says. “They told me, ‘You’re gonna be okay. One day at a time.’ And for the first time, I believed it.”
Finding Family in Treatment
Addiction treatment at Sunflower wasn’t just about detoxing—it was about rebuilding his life. Tyler found healing in group sessions, friendships in the people around him, and mentorship in the staff—many of whom had walked their own recovery road.
“We became a dysfunctional family that actually functions,” he laughs. “We shared real stuff.”
The difference this time? He wasn’t faking it to get out. He was in it for real. He showed up. He participated. And slowly, things began to change.
Today: Clean, Clear, & Showing Up
Tyler has now been sober for over seven months. He lives in an Oxford House, has a job, pays rent, and—maybe most importantly—has reconnected with his family.
“God restored my family so fast,” he says. “I got my kids back, I got my support system, and everyone’s proud of me again.”
He even gave his sobriety chips to his dad for safekeeping—something that wouldn’t have been possible a year ago.
If He Could Talk to the Old Him…
Tyler thinks back to his darkest days—stealing, sleeping outside, thinking no one cared. If he could speak to that version of himself, he’d keep it simple:
“Just hold on. You’re gonna be okay. Don’t lose hope. Help is out there.”
And if you’re reading this thinking it’s too late for you or someone you love, Tyler would say this: “There’s always a way out. If I can come back from where I was, anyone can.”
Where Hope Blooms
Tyler’s story isn’t just one of survival—it’s one of transformation. And it all started with a phone call and a place that treated him like a human being.
If you or someone you care about is struggling with addiction, Sunflower Recovery is ready to help. Call us today. We’ll pick up.