This month’s issue of The Beacon focuses on breaking the chains of addiction.
Dan’s journey comes full circle
Dan Hoffman had been on a path to sobriety after seeking help for his addiction to alcohol. He now feels that it has come full circle.
“I’ve had several stints of sobriety,” said Hoffman. “But I think that since I’ve been at the Charlotte Rescue Mission, I feel that this is my best shot at staying sober.”
Dan said his life was going well until he got into his 30’s. That’s when he started to drink…a lot. The 54-year-old’s addiction kept him from his family and he could feel everything slipping away.
I lost a lot of material things, but most of all, I lost myself,” said Hoffman. “And when I did that, a lot of things started to go really quick.”
Continuing health problems from alcoholism had reached its toll and Dan knew it was time to get serious about getting sober.
The Gastonia native had heard about the Charlotte Rescue Mission from friends who had gone through the program.
Dan made the call and checked himself into the Mission’s Rebound Men’s Program in August of last year.
He credits his main counselor as the one who got him to open up more and express his feelings. And he would advise those following in his footsteps to give the program a chance and listen to what the counselors have to say.
“We’re hard-headed and it takes a lot to get us to the point where we have to ask for help.”
Today, Dan works in construction. And just like the homes he remodels, he plans to continue rebuilding the life he had before alcohol nearly destroyed it.
“When I got here, I just wasn’t really sure. But after a few days, a couple of weeks, I started to see the benefits of the Charlotte Rescue Mission,” said Hoffman. “The opportunities that I have been presented with have really changed my life.”
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