After doing a lot of damage in active addiction, Luke S. found his way to New Haven to participate in the Turnbridge Men’s Program and find a better way of living. Since his arrival, Luke has grown into the loving and caring man he once was.

Growing up in New York, Luke explains how he always surrounded himself with the wrong circle of friends. His first use came when he was 14, smoking pot in the woods with some friends. “I was always hanging out with the wrong people, so we were also the people who were experimenting with everything,” said Luke.  At 16, Luke explains how he would begin experimenting with prescription pills and soon become hooked. By 17, Luke was abusing pills and smoking pot every day.

When Luke was 18, he got into a serious car accident. “I fell asleep at the wheel while driving because I was very high, and ended up crashing and totaling two cars,” Luke said. Luke had a compound fracture in his arm from the accident and would have surgery to repair it, which came with a steady supply of painkillers. “This just fueled my addiction,” Luke said.

Luke’s prescription drug addiction eventually led him to heroin.  He began snorting the drug, and ultimately began using it IV. During his active addiction, Luke was arrested multiple times. “It took me to terrible places,” Luke said.

Luke was given an opportunity to work for his father’s business and eventually take over the business. “I continued to mess that opportunity up,” said Luke.  “I basically spat in his face and everyone’s face for trying to help me.”  Luke also mentioned how a big part of his story is “biting the hand that fed me.”

The trouble continued and Luke went to a primary treatment program for 30 days. Following his discharge, Luke went to pick up some heroin and within two hours of being home his probation officer showed up.  His officer found the heroin on him and sent him to jail. After a month in jail, Luke was offered a chance to come to Turnbridge. “I was desperate and had given up,” said Luke.  “I needed, and more importantly I wanted, help.”

Luke came to Turnbridge with an open mind, but his primary motivation was to complete the drug treatment program to escape legal trouble. “My life was getting better,”
 said Luke.  “I put down the drinks and the drugs and just listened to people.  I realized what I had done to my family and people that care about me.  And just be the man my parents raised me to be, and I continue to strive to be that man every day.”

Luke remained teachable and continued to work hard to get better. “This place gave me the tools to recover and become the person I am today,” Luke said.

“I did a lot of damage and the biggest thing I can do to repair that is to continue to improve on myself,” said Luke.  He has worked hard at repairing relationships with his friends and his family after addiction. “I am so grateful for this place. I never thought I would be where I am today.”