A 33-year-old recovering opioid addict, who has been having substance abuse problems since he was 15 years old, has found salvation in God. Rex Fitzgerald, who is set to graduate from a recovery program in a few months, acknowledged that he would not have been able to turn his life around if he didn't let God into his life.
Fitzgerald, a Houston native, revealed in an interview that he used to be a confused and lost young man when he turned to pain killers to fill what was missing in his life. He did not have a good relationship with his father, who was also a drug user and dealer.
Growing up, Fitzgerald had access to illegal substances, which he took in high doses. He was in and out of the hospital and jail five times. He suffered a stroke, lost some of his fingers, underwent several surgeries and developed heart infections through his long ordeal as an addict.
At one point, doctors told his mother to prepare his funeral arrangements. However, a turning point came when he entered the Project Hope Recovery Center. Fitzgerald had been in rehabilitation programs before but he found something different at Project Hope, which is a faith-based non-profit organization.
Project Hope specializes in a discipleship program that helps addicts apply Christian faith-based solutions to curbing addiction, and a lot of attention is given to spiritual growth.
Fitzgerald received counseling at Project Hope, under Pastor Don Nordin, and this has helped him do away with unhealthy beliefs and has strengthened his Christian faith. He's also been taught life skills to manage his relationships, emotions and social skills.
The recovering opioid addict has been in the program since August last year with 19 other men. Now he is doing much better, Fitzgerald has said he will help out other recovering addicts in Project Hope when he graduates from the program.
"Thank God, Project Hope was here for me," Fitzgerald said. "I was so confused and lost, and that didn't change until I turned my life over to God," he added and said, "I credit my survival to my praying mother, a family that never gave up on me, and a loving God."
