Dillon, 24, entered Adult & Teen Challenge Ohio Valley about eight months ago and will graduate in June. “I had enough of drugs,” he said. “I was tired of letting my family down. I deserve better and they deserve better.”
When Dillon turned 18, he tried fitting in with the wrong crowd, using drugs. After six years, he’d had enough. He came to ATCOV after seeing his cousin complete the program and turn his life around. “It is definitely amazing,” he said. “I am so grateful to be here. I don’t even know what it’s like to get high anymore. I don’t think about getting high. I love life now.”
In his past, Dillon, who grew up in southern Ohio, had tried several times to commit suicide. Upon coming to ATCOV, he realized he has a purpose. “I’m so grateful to be here. I have a wonderful, Godly family here,” he said. Dillon plans to work as an intern at ATCOV after graduation to help others find peace and love through God as he did.
It wasn’t that way in the beginning though. After 12 hours, Dillon wanted to leave, believing he had his problem under control and that he could kick his drug addiction on his own. He wanted to leave again after 30 days and after 45. It only changed when he had a conversation with God. “I asked him, ‘Should I go back out there into the real world, back home with all those other people who still use and nothing’s changed outside? The only thing that’s changed is what’s going on inside with me. Or should I stay and continue to give back what’s been freely given to me?’”
He told his mother he planned to stay on as staff at ATCOV. A peace just came over him when he shared his decision. “As soon as I told my mom, she broke down in tears and for the first time, my stepfather told me he was proud of me,” Dillon said. That really hit home and Dillon works even harder now to be better than he was the day before.
People inside of ATCOV tell Dillon they’re proud of him too. “I’m just so grateful and I’m so humbled to just be able to have this opportunity that I do not deserve,” he said.
