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Carrying Heavy Burdens
Ricky’s story begins in a place no one hopes to find themselves: a life marked by deep loss, trauma, and isolation.
Growing up, Ricky looked up to his father and dreamed of following in his footsteps in law enforcement. That dream carried him into the job he had always wanted, but it didn’t take long for reality to become heavy. Early in his career, Ricky experienced a traumatic incident involving an inmate who could not be saved. The weight of that moment stayed with him in ways he didn’t know how to carry.
Not long after, his personal life collapsed in a way he never saw coming. In 2015, his father suddenly left home. Within days, his mother was served divorce papers, and Ricky discovered his father was living with someone else. The person he had built so much of his identity around was suddenly gone from his life.
Trying to cope with everything he was feeling, Ricky turned to alcohol. What began as something he thought would help him unwind slowly became something much darker. Over time, he found himself drinking alone and pulling away from the people around him.
Eventually, things reached a breaking point. One night, overwhelmed and believing he had no way forward, Ricky made a suicide attempt. The only reason he was stopped was that a family member happened to intervene in time. Looking back, Ricky is honest about that moment, saying, “The only reason I’m still here is because of God.”
A Moment of Surrender
In the days that followed, a turning point came through a simple but direct message from his uncle: it was time to try something different. That invitation led Ricky to his first Celebrate Recovery gathering and eventually into a Sunday service at Saddleback Church, where he was welcomed not as a visitor, but as someone who belonged.
That sense of belonging changed everything. Ricky describes being met with genuine care and consistency, something he hadn’t experienced in a long time. In that environment, he made a quiet but life-altering decision to surrender and begin again.
As Ricky grew in his faith, another breakthrough came during a moment of worship when he realized he was carrying something he had never fully faced: unforgiveness toward his father. In a deeply personal act, he wrote a simple phrase on a piece of paper and placed it at the cross, choosing to let go.
Soon after, he sent his father a message: “I forgive you, and I’m sorry.” The response he received opened a door for healing on both sides, bringing an unexpected sense of peace and closure.
Healing Through Community
Today, Ricky’s life looks completely different. He is connected to a supportive church community, walking in sobriety, and continuing to grow one day at a time. He still receives regular encouragement from those who walk with him, reminding him that he is not doing this alone.
Looking back, Ricky is clear about what carried him through the darkest seasons. He says, “I don’t know where I’d be if I didn’t have the community I have here at Saddleback.”
What once felt like the end of his story has become the beginning of something new, shaped by healing, forgiveness, and people who refused to let him walk through it alone.
The road to recovery and freedom is possible. It often starts with a simple step of reaching out for help. Please visit saddleback.com/celebraterecovery to learn more about Celebrate Recovery.
