“Jonathan’s story might not be different from many high schooler’s. He changed from being happy and outgoing to withdrawn and irritable. We hoped college would be the venue for him to “find himself,” but his visits at home showed worrying signs of trouble.
We didn’t realize the extent of his struggles even when he decided to teach in Thailand after graduating, which I now think was an attempt to escape from us and himself. I wasn’t convinced about the depth of his addiction, but I knew something was very wrong. The window of opportunity for intervention was narrowing with time but got urgent when his calls home got more and more concerning. New Life worked with us to receive him upon landing back on U.S. soil, an incredible feat they accomplished with extremely short notice and I will forever be thankful for. We had recommended New Life to friends but never thought Jonathan would agree to go.
I truly can thank New Life for giving us our son back. It wasn’t easy to convince him to stay the initial three months, but by giving him no alternative and telling him about how his well being affected the whole family he understood we did it out of love. To watch him change from one family visit to the next truly felt like watching a miracle. We saw him regain his self-esteem through work in the house. The gradual increase in freedom and responsibility gave him a lesson on how a solid foundation in life is created. The openness and strong bonds the many group meetings creates has given him tools for life. New Life has given our son a family away from home, and us, relationships we relish. Our hope is that we can give back by helping other families.”
Eva H.
Last Updated on September 12, 2024
