Hearing stories from others who emerged from the depths of the darkness and returned to the light is one of the most powerful experiences in recovery. The recovery community is filled with strong individuals who overcame addiction and now share their stories to share hope, inspire others, and prove that we do recover.
On February 6th, New Origins welcomed Pastor Anthony Torres and Noel G to share their experience, strength, and hope with our clients. These heavy hitters shared a message of depth and weight that resonated with each man in the program and reminded everyone of the power and possibility of recovery. Andy Roy, a skateboarding legend, and Russ on Wheelz, another facility favorite, also attended with their infamous energy and support for other men in recovery.
Alcoholism and addiction separate men from their fellows. They lean into self-reliance and isolation, and the longer they do this, the more difficult it becomes to rebuild connections with other men. Events like these help men at New Origins discover the true importance of connecting with men who share the same sense of purpose and direction.
The day was filled with meaningful fellowship that strengthened the sense of community among men in the program. A strong community is an indispensable resource when it comes to recovery. Facilitating events like a day with Pastor Anthony Torres at New Origins provides an environment where men can see the benefits of dropping their guard and building relationships with other men in recovery. They are spaces where connections grow, healing happens, and hope is restored.
The Life-Saving Impact of Sharing Experience
Community is one of the most challenging elements to establish in early recovery but also one of the most important. Isolation is one of the most common signs of substance abuse. It’s easier to use the way you need to when people don’t realize how bad things truly are. However, the longer you spend pushing others away, the more difficult it is to allow them back in once you stop using substances. When success in recovery requires connection and community, though, you find yourself in a seemingly impossible situation.
This is what makes men like Anthony Torres such an invaluable resource. On the surface, many people in the general population would feel intimidated when meeting him. Two full sleeves of tattoos cover his arms, his experiences include things most can only imagine, and he understands being the target of a book judged by its cover. But when you hear his story, you would be hard-pressed not to want to spend more time around him.
Torres is one of thousands in recovery who step up and share their story so others can find healing and hope. He knows that by opening up about his struggles, he has the chance to save someone else from theirs. As he explained, “I never thought that I’d get a second chance in life, but I did.”
When people are willing to share where they came from and where they are now, it adds another story to the growing book of miracles in recovery. Community-driven events like inviting Anthony Torres to New Origins set the stage for an environment where men can see the power and possibilities of recovery up close. Those first few days, weeks, and months of sobriety are pivotal, and helping men realize what can happen when they surround themselves with community can be a life-saving undertaking.
Who is Pastor Anthony Torres?
Today, Anthony Torres is committed to helping others break free from addiction. He travels around sharing his experience, strength, and hope through various speaking engagements. Torres also shares the good news of healing, hope, and salvation with his congregation at Mountain View Church in Alamogordo, New Mexico.
However, his life wasn’t always driven by this higher purpose. Torres started drinking when he was in high school and then found cocaine at the age of 17. From the ages of 18 to 29, almost 11 full years, his entire purpose revolved around getting high and doing whatever he could to keep the high going. Torres was plagued by depression, anxiety, overdose scares, and suicidal thoughts. He tore through the lives of everyone who loved and cared about him, especially his now-wife, Sasha.
After a particularly life-threatening overdose in 2009, he decided enough was enough and committed to a treatment program. Torres is still sober to this day, more than 14 years later. Along with his speaking engagements and role as a pastor, Torres also wrote a book about his struggles, Letters to My People: Thoughts of a Recovering Addict. He also turned the darkness of his past into a hopeful short film, Sasha, carrying the namesake of his wife, starring acclaimed actor Noel G.
Torres is committed to sharing his story so others can hopefully avoid following a similar path. He uses his experience emerging from the depths of despair into a life more fulfilling and beautiful than he could have imagined. Bringing Anthony Torres to New Origins treatment center for the event in February showed the men in our program that recovery is possible no matter where you come from and how dark life may get.
Noel G: Using Influence to Inspire Change
New Origins also invited Noel Gugliemi, better known as Noel G., to share his experience, strength, and hope with our group. Gugliemi is well-known for his roles in movies such as Fast and Furious, Batman: Dark Knight Rises, and Training Day. He also had spots on television shows including CSI: Miami, X-Files, The Walking Dead, and NYPD Blue. Noel G. plays a lead role in Torres’ film Sasha, which details Torres’ descent into drug addiction and a life of crime, as well as its impact on his wife Sasha and their family.
Most of the time, he finds himself playing a gangster in the movies and shows he works on. While he didn’t fall to the same depths that Torres did, Noel G. also had a stint when he got wrapped up in the wrong crowd. His parents abandoned him when he was 13, leaving him homeless to fend for himself. He found safety and support with a group of gang members who welcomed him in and made him feel like he belonged.
Shortly after, though, he met a girl who brought him to an acting class where he landed his first commercial. Noel G. soon left the gangster life and transitioned into full-time acting, an opportunity and decision he knows saved his life. “I’d be dead or in jail [if I wasn’t acting],” he explained, “I was on the wrong path but [acting] helped save me.”
Despite regularly playing gangsters on the big screen, Noel G. spends much of his off-time on speaking engagements at schools and churches discouraging young people to steer clear of the fast life. He took the platform he built and uses it for good today, spreading a message of joy, hope, and encouragement. His presence at the February New Origins event provided another example of the importance of community and the strength it brings to those in recovery.
Andy Roy & Russ on Wheelz: Resilience in Action
Andy Roy and Russ on Wheelz were two more community favorites who appeared at the Anthony Torres and Noel G. event.
Andy Roy is another man with a history of addiction and incarceration, a pro skater who rode hard and partied even harder, known for living his life on the edge. He embodied everything the skateboarding counterculture offered in the 90s and early 2000s, rejecting the clean-cut image that many traditional skate companies wanted to move towards.
Russell Burke, better known as Russ on Wheelz, experienced a life-altering diving accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down. He has been confined to a wheelchair since 2013, but took an experience that might have sent him into a downward spiral and chose to come out stronger instead.
Both Andy and Russ shared their day with us at New Origins, swapping stories and encouraging men in the program to build their own communities around them. These men are living proof that no matter what choices you make or the directions life takes you in, you have the power to provide others with hope and encouragement to keep moving forward.
The Power of Fellowship and Finding Community
At New Origins, we believe that real change happens when people feel supported and empowered. Stories like Anthony’s show that no matter how dark the past may be, there is always hope for a brighter future. Events like our day with Anthony Torres, Noel G., Andy Roy, and Russ on Wheelz provide a space for the community to come together and support each other. Seeing strong men get vulnerable and share how they survived their darkest experiences encourages men in early recovery to do the same.
A day of food, connection, and shared experience brought the men in the New Origins program together for the day, and it fostered connections that will only continue to grow. If you are struggling with alcohol or drug abuse and unsure of where to turn, New Origins is here to help. Our intensive outpatient treatment programs provide quality, understanding care on a schedule that adapts to your needs.
Call us today at (855) 984-1788 or submit an online contact form to learn more about our programs and find the best fit for your needs. You never need to live with your difficulties alone again – the New Origins community is here to provide support and strength on your path to healing and recovery.
