Meet Us Monday: Ricky, Peer House Leader

Ricky grew up on a dairy farm in a small North Carolina town before moving to Houston after high school. In his early 20s, substance use began to take over his life, leading to years of loss and incarceration.

During his most recent incarceration, Ricky decided he was ready for something different. “I just looked at myself, I said, ‘You know what, Ricky, I’m done. This is it. I’m finished.’”

When he was released, Ricky came directly to REAL LIFE. “It’s probably the greatest decision that I’ve ever made in my life,” he says. “If they just let me out, I don’t think I would have made it.”

Since then, Ricky has graduated from REAL LIFE and become a Peer House Leader, where he makes a point to connect with the other Lifers in his house and support them however he can.

He is also preparing to begin classes to become a Peer Recovery Specialist, a goal he has carried with him since prison. He hopes to use his experiences to help others impacted by substance use, both in correctional facilities and in the community.

“If I can keep anybody from walking the same path that I walked, then the time in prison would have been worth it.”

Please join us in welcoming Ricky to the REAL LIFE team and congratulating him on his graduation!