Born and raised in Hendersonville, Michael Todd grew up on a farm with his mother and step-father. After his biological father was removed from the home at a young age, Michael’s step-father taught him a strong work ethic and how to always be on his best behavior.

Michael said that his step-father was strict with him, and he was never allowed to show any weakness. A few years into their life on the farm, Michael’s parents started using methamphetamine and things took a dark turn, by age 12 Michael had smoked his first joint. With pressure at home to be perfect, Michael’s grades started dropping, he began skipping school and he started using other recreational drugs. By senior year of high school Michael had dropped out and was now selling cocaine.

After making contact with his biological father again, Michael was forced to leave town, on the run. He became homeless in Jacksonville, FL at the age of just 18. After a short stint in Florida, Michael made his way back to North Carolina to his uncle’s homeless shelter. He was able to get back on his feet and got his high school diploma! Following graduation, Michael became a manager at Lowe’s Home Improvements. He stayed there for 3 years until he got a phone call that changed everything…

His biological father was at Mission Hospital due to an overdose on Ativan and cocaine, coupled with alcohol. His father passed away shortly after and so many responsibilities fell on Michael at just 21 years old. Using his father’s death as a crutch, Michael started using again- even learning how to make the drugs.

While in a toxic relationship, Michael also began using needles to inject his drugs- including Percocet, heroine and meth. He remembers he never had withdrawals, because he was always high.

After getting caught buying large amounts of Sudafed to produce these drugs, Michael was arrested and charged with five felonies and two misdemeanors. He was given the chance to go to rehab rather than jail, and all of his charges would be dismissed. He completed a 28-day rehab program and came out victorious.

But shortly after began using again, to get him through his swing shifts. He was excelling at work, becoming a lead in his department and even got his own place. He was truly a functioning addict.

Michael met a girl and they began using together. She was hospitalized and they found out she was pregnant with their daughter. Michael vowed to quit using but never did, he tried to hide it. Michael lost his house and they were forced to move in with family.

One day, Michael’s family went to get vouchers for day care and they could see he was acting strange. The Department of Social Services was called and they performed a drug test on Michael and found methamphetamine in his system. They told him if he couldn’t get clean and pass his next drug test, that he couldn’t see his children anymore. Michael cleaned up his act, passed the next drug test and the case was closed.

When Michael’s second child was born, the pressure of fatherhood was too much and he started using again. His family moved to Tennessee and he found people that shared his addiction there. When his family found out, they kicked him out of the house and he returned to Hendersonville. Then Michael found First Contact and moved into Crossroads Rehab. After only being there for 6 days, Michael decided he was cured and moved back in with his family.

After a cancer diagnosis for Michael’s grandmother, he began using again. Michael remembers the Godly woman that his grandmother was and how passionate she was for Christ. Soon after the diagnosis, she was on her death bed and Michael made a promise to her that he would stop using. She died that day and the grief was too much, Michael couldn’t quit. He was so disappointed in himself, he had broken a promise to someone who had never broken a promise to him.

Michael was then living in a tent with his three children and continuing to use. He was spiraling out of control. But with the mother of his children often absent, Michael was raising his children all on his own. He recalls one morning when he had all three children at the park. A bystander called the police when he saw Michael acting strange around the children. They found needles on him that he had used that morning to shoot a gram of meth, in addition to his prescribed Methadone dose. He was incredibly high. He was charged on the spot with three counts of child abuse and one could of paraphernalia. He was given the option to go to a rehab facility and they wouldn’t release his warrants until after his treatments were complete.

Once again, Michael turns to First Contact. He was admitted to Renewed Hope Rehab and was there for 13 days before he left. He was immediately picked up and taken to jail.

After hitting rock bottom and being incarcerated for a week, Michael found himself alone in his cell reaching out to God. He asked the Lord; “Whatever you want me to do, I will do it. Whatever I need to do, I will follow you.”

Shortly after, Michael reached out to Kevin, a placement coordinator with First Contact, who posted Michael’s bail and sent him off to Renewed Hope Rehab once again. After 3 months at the rehab facility, he still hadn’t seen his children and gets a call from DSS to let him know that his children would be placed in the foster care system. After just accepting Jesus into his heart, and now getting this horrible news- Michael just couldn’t understand why his children were being handed over to strangers.

After 5-months in the rehab program, DSS lets Michael know that if he begins to start the process of drug screening and continually passes the tests, he can see his children for two hours, once a month, under supervision- an answered prayer! Two months later, Renewed Hope hired Michael on as an intern- he was getting paid to go to rehab!

At the 11-month mark of his 12-month rehab program, Michael got a call from his Mother and she shared that she has stage 3 lung cancer. Michael was crushed, but after prayerful consideration he decided to stay and finish out the program that he had tried to complete so many times before.

After graduation, Michael moved in with his Mother and immediately got a job. From there, he started getting more time with his children, ultimately building up to overnight visits where he could take his children to church on Sunday mornings- something that was so important to him.

Michael continued to work hard, gain more and more time with his children, all while taking care of his Mom. On Christmas Eve 2021, Michael and his children moved into their very own house! During this time Michael was keeping himself busy with First Contact meetings, Celebrated Recovery meetings, and bible studies. He learned that being surrounded by a network of people was the key to accountability in his walk with the Lord.

 On May 24, 2022 Michael received full custody of all three of his children, praise the Lord! Michael has a great job at Blue Ridge Mountain Water and even works extra when he can! He is over 2 years clean!