My name is Luis and this is my testimony. Growing up, I would say I had a great childhood. I’ve always had a loving mother that would do her best to keep me on track. However, not having a father figure my whole life always left a void. I had uncles I looked up to and wanted to be just like them. They were the closest thing to a father figure I had. My Uncles were in and out of institutions, so they were around for short periods of time and gone for long periods of time. In my teens I did my best to be just like my uncles, not knowing what direction I would find my life heading. Influenced by the street life and what comes with it, I found my self sucked into a life of violence and almost lost my life. On more than one occasion, I found myself in unhealthy relationships that were toxic and abusive. As a result of these circumstances I made poor decisions that would also lead me to doing a few years of my life in institutions as well. While incarcerated, I gained an opiate addiction, which eventually turned into a fentanyl addiction. I found myself no longer able to manage my own life, unable to do simple tasks, I didn’t check in with my PO because I knew once they tested me I would get locked up again. So from 2016 to 2024 I found myself in the darkest point of my life where it felt like there was no way out. I was living in the river bed strung out on fentanyl. My brother Chewy went to a place called Restoration Ranch to change his life. He would occasionally come find me and asked if I was ready to change my life and told me he knew a place that could help. It took about two years, but I finally called him one day and told him I was ready. So on July 17, 2024, I found myself in his car headed to Ramona to Restoration Ranch. It is now June 3, 2025, I’ve been sober for about 11 months and it’s gotta be by far the best choice I’ve ever made in my whole life. I have a 13 year old daughter and for 12 years of her life, I was not in the picture, but because of my choice to get sober I’m finally able to be the dad that she deserves to have in her life. I’m also able to be the son to my mom that she deserves. I would have never seen myself a year ago having a full time job, being in my daughters life and being able to be a living testimony that through God everything is possible. God took me out of the pit I was in and gave me a whole new life. I just want people to know. Those that do know me and and know where I was at, if God did it for me, He could do it for you!

(Luis’s brother is Chewy- you can read Chewy’s story “Out Of Gang Life” in a previous blog)