LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — So many people are trying to travel the challenging path toward addiction recovery, and that can make it even more difficult if you feel alone on that journey.
"I would describe it as a very healthy childhood. Went to Christ the King, went to Lexington Catholic High School, graduated from Eastern Kentucky University," Sean Schomp said.
A smile can hide a lot, masking a struggle starting from an early age.
"Started with alcohol. Moved into marijuana. It just kind of got to where I would try something. By the time I hit 26-27 years old, I thought, 'I'm good.' this is my life; I can drink and drug periodically, and I can function," Schomp said.
Gail Weaver, Sean's mom, said she flew back home and discovered that her son had lost a lot of weight.
"Are you sick? Are you depressed? Maybe he had cancer, I don't know. He calls me at 4:45 on a Sunday morning; he was so upset I could almost not understand him. He goes, 'Mom, I'm a drug addict.'"
An admittance kick-started Sean's road to recovery, walking sober since 2018.
Ultimately leading him to help others do the same at the Shepherd's House.
"We get to treat 500-600 men and women each day. The fact that we get to touch so many lives and impact so many people is such a beautiful thing," Schomp said.
Sean's mom, Gail, is a part of that beauty too.
She's an active volunteer with Shepherd's House, supporting her son's new passion for guiding people out of the darkness.
"I've sat at home and watched mothers and fathers on the news reporting about the death of an overdosed child. Stood in funerals for kids in their 20s and 30s that have had an overdose," Weaver said. "We need this to stop and there's a way to stop it. I think it's treatment centers like the Shepherd's House."
For more information on Sherperd's House, go to Shepherd's House (shepherdshouseinc.com).
