The Space Between Falling and Rising
Social Mission
The Space Between Falling and Rising
By Jessica Coz
It wasn’t a single turning point in Braden’s life that altered his course — his story begins with a pattern formed long before he understood its consequences.
As a child, alcohol was simply part of the environment around him. By elementary school, curiosity turned into experimentation. By middle school, substances became a social bridge, easing the disconnect he felt with peers and family, helping him find a sense of belonging. What started as occasional quickly evolved into a decades-long struggle with addiction.
“I just got into everything too young,” he reflects.
After years of substance use, Braden entered treatment for the first time at 28. Something clicked. He embraced recovery and stayed sober for nearly fifteen years — pursuing a career in occupational therapy, building community, and discovering what a “regular life” could feel like.
“I remember feeling completely deflated. Like I couldn’t escape the consequences of my past.”
But Recovery is Rarely a Straight Line
A painful divorce coincided with a relapse that unraveled much of what he had rebuilt. Legal trouble followed — a DUI and a felony charge that permanently altered his professional path. Soon after, he found himself without stable housing, couch surfing and eventually stealing to survive and support his addiction.
That chapter led to incarceration.
Even after his release, the cycle repeated — brief stability followed by setbacks. Yet one constant remained: he kept returning to treatment. Not once or twice, but multiple times. Each return carried the same quiet declaration: I’m not done trying.
The Shift: Gratitude Changed Everything
The shift came when Braden stopped viewing his life through the lens of blame and started practicing gratitude. Leaning into intentional reflection, prayer, and meditation helped him reconnect with himself in a way he hadn’t before. Instead of asking Why me? he began asking What now?
“For a long time, everything was external — my circumstances, my past, other people. I never asked what I could change. Gratitude changed that.”
Finding Awake — Finding Belonging
He reached out to St. Joseph the Worker and was referred to Awake. He was steadfast in his efforts and found steady employment where he rediscovered something he hadn’t felt in years: belonging. Learning new skills, contributing to a team, and earning trust restored his confidence piece by piece.
He stood out just by being who he is — and earned a Lead position in the Awake Metal department.
Still, the journey tested him again. While caring for his aging parents, the weight of responsibility and stress led to another relapse. But this time, the outcome was different. Rather than disappearing into the spiral, he sought help quickly and returned to treatment — with the clear message that Awake would stand by him and work to reinstate his employment when the time was right.
Today
Nearly a year back into recovery, Braden is a valuable, trusted member of the team. He volunteers after work as a Growth Coach for his peers and speaks with grounded clarity about what it takes to keep moving forward.
“Take it a minute at a time if you have to. You wished for this moment when things were at their worst. Don’t lose sight of that. The cravings pass. The hard feelings pass. Give yourself grace.”
His advice to others struggling is simple but powerful: ask for help, trust the process, and remember that the life you want is built through small, daily choices.
A Message for Decision Makers
“Give them a chance. Let people show you who they are now, not just who they were.”
Braden’s journey is proof that growth isn’t defined by how many times you fall — it’s defined by the willingness to stand back up, repeatedly, never letting go of the determination it takes to keep going.