Matthew looks forward to simple things post-graduation: working, attending church and maintaining a good relationship with his family.

Matthew has witnessed the positive impact of addiction recovery firsthand. “My mom is in recovery—she has 18 years,” he said. “When she first got clean, she and my dad got back together. They’ve been happy ever since.”

Matthew grew up in Hesperia, going to church and playing music. “I played through elementary school, high school and after,” he said. “I was playing in the bar scene and started getting heavy into alcohol because of that. But when COVID happened, my alcoholism really jumpstarted.”

“I was managing a music store, and I played in multiple bands all around Southern California. I was even down in Mexico City for a little bit. But at 21 or 22, after COVID, the music store closed down and I had no gigs to play with the bands. I was getting all this extra money (from the stimulus checks) and had nothing but free time on my hands. I spent it on the bottle.”

Matthew knew he needed help. He tried other programs, most recently a sober living facility, but he found his sobriety difficult to maintain. “I stayed for a year, but when I moved to some friends’ house, I realized they partied every weekend. I fell back heavy into that.”

Matthew wound up at the hospital in Hesperia. A close family friend is a volunteer at the Mission, and shared about the program. “That’s how I got here,” Matthew said.

When he first got to the Mission in May 2024, Matthew admitted it was tough. “I wasn’t really into religion. I had my own views on it at the time. But Pastor John (Schmidt, program manager at RMA VV) made it really understandable—it was great.

“And I got involved in a church band—I’m playing music with the worship team. That’s been a huge help to me, getting back to music but focusing on Him. I’m not just playing music to play music.”

Matthew loves the program and the outreach opportunities in the community. “That’s what I really lacked in other programs, the sense of purpose,” he said. “I was learning what alcohol did to my body and how it affected my life, but I still felt empty and disconnected from people. This program really helped me connect with people and form a spiritual foundation.”

Matthew is graduating from the program this month. “I feel excited to see what life has in store for me next,” he said. “I know I need to stay connected with church. I need to stay the course and not stray too far away. I’m excited and hopeful, which is something I haven’t felt in quite a few years.”

Matthew is in the Mission’s Transitional Living Program now. “It’s allowing me to still stay connected to the guys in the house and to Pastor John. Hopefully I’ll find a job that allows me to keep playing with the worship team. I attend church with my parents regularly. My dad, me and my brother go to Bible study together. These are the things that are really making a difference to me.”