Real life stories from real life recovery clients.
Meet Blaine
“My name’s Blaine Parker. I am a primary AOD counselor here at the residential program at Shawnee.”
Blaine’s journey to helping others is anything but ordinary. From battling his own addiction to becoming a beacon of hope for those struggling, his story is one of resilience, redemption, and purpose.
How It Started
“I grew up here. Somewhat of a normal family for this area.”
Blaine’s childhood mirrored that of many others. He had a mother who was always around and a father who struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction, in and out of his life. Blaine’s early life was marked by experimentation with drugs, starting with marijuana and eventually escalating to heroin, crack cocaine, and methamphetamines.
“It progressed into everything else with the opioid epidemic. I was a poly abuser—whatever you had, I did.”
Why It Got Worse
“Homelessness was so bad. I became someone it was hard to be around.”
For Blaine, addiction took over his life, driving him to homelessness, crime, and a revolving door of treatment programs. He hit multiple “bottoms,” each one worse than the last. A devastating car accident in 2003, where he almost lost his arm, introduced him to opioids. What started as pain management spiraled into dependency, then full-blown addiction.
Losing Everything
“My disease progressed so far that I didn’t care who I hurt.”
Blaine’s addiction drove him to harm relationships with family and friends. “I’d steal from my own sister, my own mother,” he says.
His family eventually called the police on him—an act he hated at the time but now credits with saving his life.
The Turnaround
“I was looking at that damn light in the county jail, and I said, ‘This is the last time I’m coming here.’”
In the county jail, Blaine had a moment of clarity. He made a decision: to commit fully to treatment and change his life. He resolved to stay in treatment, no matter how hard it got.
For Blaine, the key was surrendering to the process and letting the team at Shawnee help him rebuild his life.
Why Shawnee Matters
“The quality of care and the lengths they go for the guys here—it’s unmatched.”
Blaine found his calling at Shawnee. As a primary AOD counselor, he is often the first person clients meet. He helps them assess their situation and build a foundation for recovery during their first 30-45 days.
“When they get stuck, I get down in the mud with them, and we work our way out together.”
What Life Looks Like Now
“Seven years clean.”
Today, Blaine is not only clean but also thriving in his role at Shawnee. He has repaired relationships with his family and is determined to be a better father to his 16-year-old son than his own father could be.
To Anyone Struggling
“It’s time to stop. People care about you, even if it doesn’t feel that way right now.”
Blaine’s message is simple: reach out. There is hope, and Shawnee is here to help.
“Grab ahold of whatever you can and start working. We’re your people.”