Ryan Sims
Ryan first found himself behind bars at age 16, and would ultimately spend 20 years of his life incarcerated. Each time he was released, he would relapse into using heroin and crack cocaine, and commit crimes that sent him back to prison. He felt like he was trapped in a cycle of addiction and violence.
A turning point came in 2019, when Ryan began meeting with a recovery coach from the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR). He was inspired to change his ways and become a mentor to his fellow prisoners. Ten years sober and the father of a teenage daughter, Ryan now works as a CCAR recovery coach himself, often meeting with the same judges and prosecutors who once sentenced him to prison. Sharing his lived experience with the people he coaches, he strives to be a living example that they too can overcome addiction.
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