Anthony’s story

Anthony was 28 when he was T-boned by an SUV while he was riding his motorcycle.

Lying on the pavement, he was declared dead for a minute and a half before he was revived. He had multiple compound fractures. He had broken every rib in his body. He had a collapsed lung and a brain hemorrhage. He was left paralyzed and would now rely on a wheelchair to get around.

But he was lucky to be alive.

“After that, I was prescribed every pain medication under the sun,” Anthony recalls. “That became trouble.”

It wasn’t long until his reliance on prescribed opioids intensified. When he was taken off those medications, he turned to heroin. Anthony became inactive and gained weight. He was evicted and found himself homeless. He was no longer allowed to see his two children.

At his lowest point, Anthony reflected on his past as a self-professed golden boy, a former star athlete, a devoted father with a passion for rebuilding vintage cars. He attempted to stop using on his own, but his health was deteriorating and his kidneys were failing.

That’s when he reached out to MultiCare for help.

Since going through recovery, Anthony has lost almost 100 pounds and has regained some mobility through physical therapy. He now has a stronger relationship with his 13-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter.

According to Anthony, staying in recovery is all about focus, dedication and faith. He has embraced spirituality and meditation. He even joined a local wheelchair basketball team and has become a star player in a short amount of time.

Despite his incredible success story, Anthony still experiences judgment from others when they discover his history of substance use. That’s why he’s sharing his story — not only to combat the social stigma surrounding substance use disorder but also to help others who might be struggling.

“There’s a big taboo around these subjects, and people that haven’t lived it really don’t understand,” Anthony says. “If my testimony could help at least one person, I feel like it was all worth it.”