From the outside looking in, Alex France, 34, leads a pretty good life. He has a wonderful wife and a blended family of four children and stepchildren. He has a stable career as a sales manager at Lawrence Jewelers. He is involved with his church and deeply rooted in his Christian faith.

More than a decade ago, such a life seemed far out of reach, when France’s days revolved around feeding his drug addiction.

His lowest point came in 2013, when he found himself alone on Christmas day at a gas station in Detroit. He called his family. His sister drove him to a hospital for another attempt at treatment.

“It was three months before I got clean. The snow was just coming down. I was homeless. I had no car, no place to go back to,” France said. “And, I remember seeing all the people dressed up for Christmas and everybody was with their family, and I was just hiding behind a dumpster at a gas station doing heroin. I remember that, and thinking, man, this is not good.”

How the Desire to Fit in Led to Addiction

France started experimenting with weed and alcohol occasionally in eighth grade because he wanted to fit in with other kids in sports and at school. By sophomore year of high school, he was drinking and partying almost every weekend.

The summer after high school graduation, he was introduced to Oxycontin for the first time. It quickly grew into a daily habit, until he was introduced to heroin around the age of 20.

He cashed in his tuition money for Lansing Community College to purchase drugs and dropped out. For the next three to four years, France sunk deeper into addiction, losing touch with his family for two years. Despite several attempts at treatment, he was never able to stay clean for long.

France last abused drugs in March 2014, a few months after the hospital stay in December 2013. He learned about the supportive recovery community in Port Huron and entered three-quarters housing.

“At that point, it was pretty much my last straw and my last chance because if I was going to keep doing what I was doing, I would have ended up dead or in prison for life,” he said.

France threw himself into recovery. In his first year, he attended more than 400 Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings. He got involved with Blue Water Recovery and Outreach Center (BWROC), attending planning meetings in the organization’s infancy.

A nonprofit recovery community organization founded in 2017, BWROC offers a unique, peer-driven, non-clinical support system.

BWROC’s employees, peer recovery coaches, and volunteers are usually in recovery themselves. This real-world experience allows them to empathize with program participants who are new to or struggling with recovery. The organization was awarded the prestigious CAPRSS Accreditation by the Council on Accreditation of Peer Recovery Support Services, a testament to BWROC’s dedication to providing participants with the highest quality service.

France credits his faith and the recovery community as the keys to staying sober. 

“Being around like-minded people who had been through it and wanted to change their life, that really helped,” France said.

Life in Recovery

Now, his life revolves around Colonial Woods, where he volunteers as a greeter, and his family. He enjoys hiking, biking, and spending time outside and on Lake Huron with his two daughters and his two stepchildren.

“I try to make sure we’re really diligent about quality time and making the best of every moment,” he said.

France has a great relationship now with his sister and parents, who still live in the Brighton area where he grew up. He serves as treasurer of BWROC’s Board of Directors.

Finding Hope

France said recovery is a journey that takes time and patience. Progress might feel slow –especially early on, when people are adjusting to life changes and challenges – but it will get better.

“The biggest thing I tell people that are new in recovery is don’t give up and keep the hope,” he said.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, learn more about what you can do by contacting the Blue Water Recovery and Outreach Center at (810) 689-4858 or via email at contact@bwroc.org.  

• By Laura Fitzgerald, a freelance writer based in the Blue Water Area