Tyrell's recovery has a ripple effect

Trauma and hardship dogged Tyrell from the streets of LA where he grew up, back to his birthplace, Hartford CT, where he returned in his 20s. He was in his late 40s before he found his way to long-term recovery and Pivot Ministries.

Now he's a recovery coach at another Bridgeport addiction treatment program. His recovery is rippling out to give hope to men and women coming off the street and out of the criminal justice system. "God left the residue of the streets and the pain in me to so I can reach out to others,” says Tyrell.

Born in Hartford, then growing up in Los Angeles, Tyrell dropped out of high school at 15 after witnessing his father’s murder and completed his education with a GED in jail. 

He returned to Hartford in his 20s, struggling with drug use and a lack of purpose, beyond survival. After a further stint in prison, he was employed with an apartment and a girlfriend when life dealt him more blows. His girlfriend was seriously injured in a robbery, then his apartment building burned down, and he lost everything. Deeply depressed, he was living in a dingy hotel escaping into drugs and alcohol with no future.

“I knew I would likely either get killed or end up killing someone,” he said. “I was ready to try something else.”

A 30-day rehab where a staff member saw “a spark of change in me” led him to a long-term recovery program.   However, he relapsed – and was transferred to Pivot, where the spark met the fuel that turned into a new

life.

“Pivot had an equal balance of discipline and love – the love made me stay,” he said.

New experiences changed his perspective: “Feeding the homeless with Pastor, singing in the choir, classes – different pieces plucked the change out of me.

Once in recovery, Tyrell was able to return to his childhood passion – reading and learning.

“I read constantly, studied recovery coaching and pastoral counseling, then qualified as a Recovery Support Specialist. Now I work in recovery, which keeps it green for me.

“I always knew God existed and, through Pivot, He taught me how to deal with myself. Recovery means to regain what I lost. To me, God and recovery are the

same.”