Before sobriety, Jason was 34, isolated in his parents’ basement, working a third shift factory job, and surviving in silence. His only connections were a handful of coworkers and his drug dealer. He didn’t have a dramatic crash, no arrests, no overdose, just a deep, internal darkness that made him realize something had to change. 

The turning point came unexpectedly. A woman from his past called him out. She was sober; he wasn’t. Her words broke through. “I deflated,” Jason remembers, “right there in the factory parking lot, sitting on the pavement, bawling.” She gave him a phone number. He made the call. That one act of vulnerability led him to detox and, eventually, to 4th Dimension Sobriety. 

What began as a desperate cold call on a Tuesday night became a lifeline. “I told the guy, I can’t be trusted. Lock me down.” He found the structure he needed and never looked back. 

Jason joined 4D in 2014 as one of its earliest residents. He became the first graduate, then house manager, and as the organization grew, he helped guide its expansion. Today, he serves as Chief Operations Officer, overseeing day-to-day programs, safety, and structure across all 4D homes. His steady presence and instinct for protection helped build the foundation of 4D’s culture. “I just did what it took to keep the house safe,” he says. “The job title doesn’t matter; being part of this community, that’s the real honor.” 

Jason’s story is a reminder that recovery isn’t always loud or linear, but it is always possible, and it can be beautiful. 

“I was at Rogers Detox at Christmas with nowhere to go. I had lost everything: my job, my relationship, and I had almost lost my car. I called 4D because it was the last number I had.” That call was the turning point. After a relapse where, as Ashley puts it, “all I did was use. No food, no water, nothing,” she knew something had to change. As a former social worker who spent years helping others, Ashley found herself on the edge of losing herself completely. “You can’t be a social worker and an addict at the same time.”  

When she got to 4D, she came in with a plan. “My goal was to get a job immediately, stay sober for six months, and get back into social work. I followed every rule. I executed everything I said I was going to do.” And she did. Within two weeks, she had a job. By five months sober, she was working in the field again. “That six-month milestone meant everything. I kept my word to myself.” 

Still, it wasn’t easy. “When I first got here, I hated it. People were stealing food, and it was chaotic. I didn’t think I’d last. But I stopped fighting where I was at and started becoming a resident among residents.” That shift, of surrendering and leaning into the community, was everything. “There was always somebody to talk to. That’s what kept me clean and sober.” 

Now seven months sober, Ashley is rebuilding trust, making amends, and learning to show up for herself and others. “Living sober now, it feels like I’m experiencing everything for the first time, with clarity. I can see what things look and feel like. And that makes me want to keep going.” Her advice to anyone just starting: “Be patient. There are days you’ve gotta hold on for your life. Crawl into a ball and cry if you have to. Just hold on.” 

Mohammed’s recovery journey has been marked by resilience, faith, and a strong sense of community. 

After entering detox, he committed himself fully to treatment, completing 30 days at Matt Talbot, transitioning into 4th Dimension, and later finding stability in Oxford House. What began as a requirement —attending daily meetings at 4th Dimension —soon became the heart of his transformation. 

“The meetings at 4D were one of the most impactful parts of my journey,” he shared. Surrounded by fellowship and guided by a sponsor, Mohammed began to not only understand the 12 steps but to live them. Service work became central, from speaking at detox centers to beginning to sponsor others and giving back what he had received. 

Today, Mohammed is proud of his growth, his deepening connection with God, and the tools he continues to practice daily. “Without the tools and using them every day, we cannot do it on our own,” he said. 

“I’m a mother of four girls and a grandmother of three. Life is good right now,” Robin said. “My fifteen-year-old just came home in June after being with my aunt for three years. She’s home with me now.” Robin has been to 4th Dimension three times, but she says this time was different. “I came back on May 1, and I’ve been clean since then. I’m almost six months clean. I’m so grateful Melissa [4D Program Director] gave me the opportunity to come back. I’m grateful that 4D has an open-door policy as long as you want to help yourself.” 

She says the program gave her what she had lost. “When you’re out there in addiction, you lose all that. You move to your own beat, and that’s not how society works. 4D gave me my structure back.” That structure helped Robin rebuild her life piece by piece. She regained housing, employment, and trust with her daughter. “I have to be a woman of action. I show her in my walk,” she said. “We’re learning how to trust each other again, and we’re doing well.” She’s also found purpose through work. “I started volunteering at Kinship, and I was offered a job. I’m a people’s person. They think I’m helping them, but they’re helping me.” 

Now, Robin finds joy in the small things that once hurt to hear. “I can remember getting high and hating to hear the birds chirping because that meant I’d been up all night. Now I love to hear the birds chirping. I wake up every morning to listen, because I can remember leaving a trap house and seeing kids going to school, people going to work, and thinking, what do they have to smile about? Now I’m one of those people. I wake up, I smile, I go to work. I love hearing the birds.” 

Her words carry both humility and hope. “4D helped save my life. They gave me structure back. Give yourself a chance. Have an open mind. You deserve to live a good life.”