Fresh Start Addiction Treatment Program

From Survival to Fatherhood: Adam V.’s Journey Through Recovery

At one point, Adam V’s life was shaped by addiction, crime, and violence. Drugs, weapons, and the choices he made dictated his days, both inside and outside prison. His introduction to Fresh Start came not by choice but as a condition of his parole as a Correctional Services Canada (CSC) client. The first time through, recovery wasn’t something he believed in. It was just another hoop to jump through. He had tried treatment before, but each time the pull of his past brought him back.

In a desperate attempt to separate himself from the people and lifestyle he wanted to leave behind, Adam turned to self-sabotage, using drugs to make himself seem unreliable. But the cycle continued. Nothing truly changed until his daughter was born. Faced with the real possibility of losing her forever, something inside him shifted. The weight of fatherhood brought clarity. If he wanted to be in her life, he had to make a change.

At 18 months old, Adam’s daughter became his turning point. He surrendered, not to his past, but to recovery. After another offense, he was granted an opportunity through Drug Court, bringing him back to Fresh Start, this time with a different mindset. Unlike other treatment programs, Fresh Start gave him something deeper than sobriety: Long term Recovery and the chance to be present as a father.

Adam successfully completed our treatment program and has built a life that once seemed impossible. He lives in Fresh Start’s post-treatment housing, a place made possible through the support of those who believe in long-term recovery. With shared custody of his daughter, he is fully present, working with her school to ensure she has the support she needs, joining family outings like tubing, and learning about meal planning and healthy eating. His role as a father isn’t just a title. It is an active commitment.

Beyond parenting, Adam is investing in himself. He is working toward becoming an apprentice electrician, gathering the tools and training needed for a stable career. His mother, witnessing his transformation, has taken Fresh Start’s Friends and Family program, reinforcing the healing within their family.

Adam’s story is one of incredible transformation. From addiction and instability to a clean, healthy, loving father, his journey reminds us that change is possible, no matter how deep the past runs. Fresh Start didn’t just help Adam recover. It provided the support he needed at every step, ensuring he had a foundation to build a future for himself and his daughter.

Since our last report, we have achieved the following:  

• 176 people actively participated in the intensive 90-day Phase 1 recovery program at Fresh Starts 3 sites in Calgary and Lethbridge.   
• 124 people participated in Phase 2 of our program. Phase 2 is a 100-day transitional phase that builds on the work done in the initial 90-day program. 
• 134 people participated in Phase 3, which includes living in transitional housing units or returning to community with continued access to Outreach support and involvement with Fresh Start Alumni.
• 80 people participated in Phase 4, living in Fresh Start’s post-treatment housing.
• Note that the Phase 2, 3 and 4 numbers include clients living in community, in the main Fresh Start treatment facilities or in our post-treatment housing.
• 18 people participated in our Friends and Family – Coming Together Series (formerly called the Family Healing Program) that helps people who have someone in their life who is affected by addiction. The program helps people deal with the effects of their loved one’s addiction on them and learn how to live in recovery also.