My name is Ryan Riggs and I am a person in long-term recovery from addiction. What that means to me, is that I have not found it necessary to use any mood or mind-altering substances since April 20, 2015. This journey has been the most amazing experience that I have ever had,...

It was my second day back in a rehab home that I was in just 4 months earlier. I couldn’t take my eyes off the clock as my mind raced at 100 miles per hour. Each minute felt like an hour and I wondered how I got myself into this situation again. With pretty much all hope lost I...

In 2007, my world came to a screeching halt. I was 16 years deep into a decorated law enforcement career when alcohol dealt me a significant blow. Not only was I a SWAT team member at the time – but also a SWAT Instructor – as well as a basic recruit instructor. Over the course...

Becoming a mother was one of the greatest joys I had ever experienced. Kyle was a vibrant, exuberant child with a larger-than-life personality from the day he was born. Our family was truly blessed. He was always the center of attention and became friends instantly with anyone...

The mind is a powerful thing and recovery is possible. I can’t tell you how many times in my life I’ve been told that I can do anything that I put my mind to. It’s crazy to think that the one thing that could help me obtain anything is also the same thing that has kept me from...

Innovative. Inspiring. Compassionate. Skillful. These are all words I use to describe Chesterfield, Virginia's county sheriff, Karl Leonard. This afternoon, Sheriff Leonard took to my Facebook live to discuss his inspiration behind the visionary Heroin Addiction Recovery Program...

My dad always used to say, “nothing changes if nothing changes.” Over the past year, we’ve seen the mortality rate from drugs and alcohol spike to epidemic levels. People are dying at an alarming rate, so alarming that the CDC recently reported that heroin overdoses now...

Donald Trump has been on a month’s long thank you tour across the United States. Over the past several weeks, I’m sure he’s heard from countless Americans who are now putting their faith in him that he’ll deliver on his promise to Make America Great Again. While many of us may...

The addiction crisis in America is real. And you need not look any further than your own city block to understand the gravity of this epidemic. I’ve written often this past year about my personal struggle with addiction and journey in recovery, the friends I’ve lost to fatal...