Steve's journey from the depths of addiction to becoming a beacon of hope for others defies all expectations. After a decade-long battle with cocaine addiction that culminated in a near-fatal overdose in 2003, he found himself wrapped in a blanket on his floor for three days before being discovered by family members. Doctors grimly informed his loved ones that any longer would have meant planning a funeral.
During his recovery, fate intervened when he met Tonya at a doctor's office in Taylorsville. Though she compassionately helped him seek medical care for lingering effects from his overdose, their relationship would face devastating challenges. Still in addiction's grip, Steve betrayed Tonya's trust by emptying her bank account, forcing her to relocate to Georgia to heal from the betrayal.
The turning point came unexpectedly two years later when Tonya reached out simply to check if Steve was still alive. That single conversation sparked a profound realization that it was time to break free from drugs. Within six weeks of her return to North Carolina, they married – a decision Steve calls second only to giving his life to Christ thirteen years ago.
Their spiritual journey took an unexpected turn when they felt called to mission work after hearing a missionary speak at their church. This calling eventually manifested in an opportunity much closer to home – the directorship of the Hope Center in Maiden, North Carolina, a faith-based recovery program for men struggling with addiction.
Today, Steve leads a structured, Christ-centered recovery program that boasts a remarkable 61% success rate, far exceeding the national average of 18% for rehabilitation centers. The program focuses not just on sobriety but on restoring lives and rebuilding family relationships through spiritual guidance, vocational training, and accountability. Most remarkably, about 80% of Hope Centers nationwide are now run by program graduates who found purpose through their own recovery journey.
Have you witnessed how faith can transform even the most broken lives? Join us for this powerful conversation about addiction, forgiveness, and how one couple's redemption story is creating ripples of hope throughout their community and beyond.

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