Charting a New Course: A Fisherman’s Voyage to Sobriety and Redemption
In the warm embrace of a newly constructed home in Florida, Mike B. enjoys a well-deserved retirement. His pension provides a comfortable life, and he is happily married. His son, a testament to his resilience, works alongside the current House Speaker in Washington, D.C. However, Mike’s path to this tranquil existence was paved with darkness, trials, and tribulations.
“I’m a living example that nothing is impossible,” Mike declares, his voice carrying the weight of hard-earned wisdom. If you’re struggling with addiction or facing challenges after incarceration, his story is a beacon of hope.
A Troubled Beginning
Born in Belfast, Maine, Mike’s childhood was tarnished by an abusive, alcoholic father who was often absent due to his job. His mother, a guiding light in his life, provided the love and support that kept him afloat. As the family moved from place to place, Mike found himself in a small village of lobstermen during his high school years. It was here that his fall into darkness began, as he became caught in a web of marijuana, alcohol, and minor infractions, leading to him being kicked out of his home at the age of 14.
With nowhere to go, Mike turned to the docks, worked alongside the lobstermen to make money, and purchased a small boat that became his home. At 17, he embarked on a risky path and began using his boat to smuggle marijuana, making a fortune that he spent within six months before going on the run to Florida.
A Cycle of Addiction and Loss
In Florida, Mike made an attempt to turn his life around, finding work as a commercial fisherman. He moved back north to Massachusetts, but the draw of drugs and alcohol proved too strong, and he soon found himself in a vicious cycle of addiction, loss, and despair. Despite achieving success as a commercial fisherman, marrying, and becoming a father, the grip of heroin tightened around him, stripping him of everything he had built.
For a decade, Mike drifted between cheap hotel rooms doing drugs, and his role as a father reduced to an afterthought.
A Glimmer of Hope and Redemption
On the day he was supposed to attend his son’s Pee Wee football game, Mike’s addiction led him off course once more, resulting in his arrest and conviction for drug trafficking. Fate intervened, and he found himself in a court-appointed halfway house but failed testing and was incarcerated for eight years.
Mike found himself surrounded by the wrong crowd, still able to access drugs within the prison walls. Mike’s pivotal moment came when faced with an impending drug test he knew he would fail. He prayed for help, and miraculously the guard stopped testing before it was his turn.
This divine intervention was the catalyst Mike needed to turn his life around. He vowed to get clean, and in April 2003, he was released on probation, penniless, jobless, and with nowhere to go but his father’s home.
Rebuilding from the Ashes
Attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings, Mike met the woman who would become his wife, and together, they embarked on a journey of sobriety. They married, moved in together, and he regained custody of his son. With determination and hard work, Mike established his own fish and lobster business, and for a time, life seemed to be on an upward trajectory.
However, his addiction reared its ugly head once more when Mike needed hip replacement surgery and became hooked on painkillers. A stint in rehab proved ineffective, and he soon found himself spiraling back into the abyss of addiction, leading to separation from his wife and the sale of his business.
The Final Turning Point
In his darkest hour, Mike once again turned to God, promising to start anew. He returned to the docks, working his way up from deckhand to tug master, and reuniting with his wife and son. Today, Mike and his wife run MLB Family Ministries, a testament to their journey and to serve as beacons of hope for others.
With 26 years of sobriety under his wife’s belt and Mike celebrating his 13th year of clean living, they stand as living proof that redemption is possible, no matter how deep the darkness.
Advice for Those Seeking a Fresh Start
When asked what advice he could offer to those about to be or recently released from prison, Mike’s words carry the weight of hard-earned wisdom: “Nothing is impossible, and anything can happen! It’s all about your willingness to live. How many times are you going to go back? Why? You don’t have to.”
He understands the challenges of finding work and a place to live, and his advice is simple: “When interviewing and filling out applications—BE HONEST. Before I retired, I even had a security clearance from the company, can you believe it?”
Reflecting on his journey, Mike admits that if he could do it all over again, he would have finished high school and joined the military for the training and discipline it provides.
Mike B.’s story is a powerful reminder that no matter how deep the darkness, there is always a path to redemption. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of faith and determination. For those struggling with addiction or facing challenges after incarceration, we hope Mike’s journey will inspire you to take one step at a time and believe anything is possible.
