I drank all my life. I never touched drugs until 2003. Then I messed around with it until December 2008. Then I seen it was killing me - financially, emotionally and physically. So I decided it was time to shut it down which I did and I tried drinking a couple of times but one lead to another so I quit drinking all together too.

I’ve been working hard to put my life back together. I try to talk to other people and when I‘m talking to people I’m reaffirming what I already know. I’m also trying to help them get out of the rut that is so easy to slide into. You got to have other reasons to go on in life besides drugs and alcohol. The most important other reason I’ve found is life itself.

People always ask why I’m smiling – my answer is – I woke up this morning.

Read the rest of Garth's story here.