facing a similar journey

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT PAYING IT FORWARD

2020 graduate stays at Lifeline to help others facing a similar journey

At 34, just before the pandemic hit in 2020, Caleb Wagers found himself in a place he didn’t particularly want to be – referred to Lifeline by the Marshall County drug court. Even though he’d been through a couple of 30-day rehab programs before and he Caleb Wagers, Lifeline didn’t relish graduate and volunteer going to a faithbased program, something was different this time. “My instinct was to run, but I didn’t,” he said. Instead, Caleb finished the nine-month rehab and has stayed on at Lifeline as a house monitor, while he finishes the drug court’s two-year program of AA meetings and court appearances. By day, he works as a carpenter; but by night, he lives in Lifeline’s transitional unit, helping guys like himself during their recovery.

“I want to give away freely what has been given to me and I find it helps me, too.”

He hopes to be for them what his mentors were to him.

“They had been through it, so they gave me hope,” he said. “When you’re in addiction, that means a lot. I didn’t know how to live sober, and they showed me.”

Now, the Marshall County native has a chance to do the same for others. “I want to give away freely what has been given to me,” he said, “and I find it helps me, too.” Caleb has had a long road, since becoming a heroin addict at 20 following pain pills for an injury. He had grown up with loving, supportive parents, who had grown weary of his many stumbles. “But after about four or five months at Lifeline, they could see the light come on in me.” Besides learning from his mentors, Caleb discovered a strong faith in God, which he had dismissed despite years of Christian schooling as a child. “I didn’t think I was a religious person because all I could see was the judgment in people,” he said. “At Lifeline, they didn’t judge me. They genuinely care about you, and that was new to me.” Caleb remembers being surprised at the motives of the Lifeline volunteers, some of whom had suffered through addiction and some had not. “I always thought, ‘Why would they do this? What do they want in return?’ “ he said. “But I kept an open mind, and now I see the love in people. My faith is a big part of my life, and I want to make myself available to help others now.” He is looking to the future with new hope. “I’m trying to build a relationship with my son and plan to move out of Lifeline soon. I know I will always have to work at sobriety every day, but volunteering at Lifeline keeps my focus in check. I’m sober and I’m happy.”