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It is news to nobody how destructive addiction can be. It can destroy not just lives, but all a human’s potential. Their relationships, the lives they touch, and their contributions to the world’s progress at large.
Ryan Montgomery knows this better than most. It is not an exaggeration to say that the Pennsylvania-born was one of those computer whiz kids we’ve always heard about, exposed to computers at ten years old, making his way up through the hacker world and putting his skills into online marketing. In his own words, he did exceptionally well in the field.
All was not well, however. Montgomery had also developed a drug addiction. It’s a common enough story, and one we’ve all heard: success mixed with drug abuse. And sure enough, it eventually landed Montgomery in jail.
“That was my rock bottom,” he says. He got into recovery, got clean and sober, and along with Christopher Ferry, helped found the Boca Recovery Center in Florida. “Since then, I’ve put my skills in computers and online marketing to helping others overcome their addiction.”
Skimming through Montgomery’s Instagram is to see a case study in the phrase “life after addiction.” There are all the markers of success: a house, car, lavish dinners with friends. But there is also a clear sense of purpose: photos of him at Boca Recovery, posts about the center’s scholarship program, and a general encouragement that those who need help seek it.
“There’s a reason they call it rock bottom,” says Montgomery. “It really and truly feels like it. When you’re there, it’s challenging to imagine you’ll ever climb back up to where you were before. You can’t live your life with drugs, but you can’t imagine it without them. I’m proof that that life exists, though, and I’m dedicated to helping others who need to realize it too.”
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