From prison and addiction to building a software business

Executive overview

A troubled teenager cycles through group homes, prisons, and rehab programs before a single moment of belief from a prison guard cracks something open. A structured rehabilitation program rebuilds his self-worth and introduces him to programming. Sobriety is not a one-time decision — addiction waits, and complacency costs.

The person who has no secrets is the freest person in the room.

Early spiral: from ADHD diagnosis to prison

• Diagnosed with ADHD at 11; believed he was broken from that point forward
• Placed in a group home at 12, introduced to drugs by older residents
• First prison stint at 14–15; lasted six hours after release before returning to same habits
• Escalating involvement with Hells Angels, guns, drugs
• High-speed police chase after fleeing a roadblock; caught after crashing a stolen car
• Sentenced to 16 months

The guard who changed everything

• In solitary after a cell-block fight, a guard named Brian pulled him aside
• Brian said: he'd worked there a decade, seen hundreds of kids, and this one didn't belong there
• That single expression of belief exceeded any belief he had in himself
• Marked the beginning of his turnaround

Portage: what made the program work

• Unlike other programs (21-day rehab, therapy, foster homes), Portage's staff are all former addicts
• Peer credibility removes the defensive wall that shuts out conventional help
• The program rebuilt self-worth, repaired family relationships, and instilled accountability
• Found programming through a discarded Java book; "hello world" sparked an obsession
• New addiction: writing code

Sobriety, relapse risk, and the long game

• Three years sober after Portage, then resumed drinking for nearly a decade
• Alcohol cost him an engagement and business relationships
• Quit permanently after a confrontation with his wife during her pregnancy
• Addiction is patient — can return after 30 years of sobriety, and guilt makes the relapse far worse
• Removing alcohol entirely was the best decision he ever made

Principles he shares with kids at Portage

• The thing you're most ashamed of is your most powerful tool to help others
• Sharing only 70% of your story leaves the 30% that may cause relapse
• You can only keep what you give away: to stay sober, help others get sober
• If you want more of something in life, give more of it first