Sarah grew up in a warm and loving home in Pennsylvania. As the youngest of three, born eight years after her brothers, she was the surprise baby. Her parents were young and active, always making sure the family spent time together. Sundays were special. She and her dad, Joe, rarely missed a church service. Their bond was deep, and to Sarah, he was everything a father should be.
Growing up, there were no signs of addiction. Her parents didn’t drink, and life felt steady. But everything changed during her senior year of high school. Joe lost his best friend, his marriage began to fall apart, and after a surgery, he was prescribed pain medication. That moment became a turning point.
Sarah noticed that her dad’s weight was dropping, and his energy was fading. He stopped showing up for plans. When she went to college, she learned he was no longer living at home.
Her mom tried to shield her from the whole truth, but it became impossible to ignore. Her father was homeless, bouncing between couches and eventually living out of the car she had given him.
It broke her heart. She tried to keep it all together, juggling classes while quietly parenting the man who had once taken care of her.
She remembers screaming at him one Father’s Day, not out of anger but out of fear that she might lose him. She wanted him to know he still had someone in his corner who believed in him.
That belief led to hope. Joe got connected to Pennsylvania Adult & Teen Challenge. Sarah was relieved. Finally, he would be safe. She trusted the program because of its strong faith foundation and what she had seen it do for others.
From the very beginning of his time at PAATC, Sarah could hear the change in his voice. He was excited again, full of purpose. He immersed himself in classes, in community, and most importantly, in his faith.
Sarah watched as her father found his footing and began to rebuild his life, brick by brick, prayer by prayer.
One of the most powerful moments came in 2022 when Sarah and Joe were baptized together during Celebrate at PAATC’s Rehrersburg campus. It was a moment of full-circle grace. Father and daughter, side by side, renewed in their faith and bonded in their healing.
Father’s Day is no longer filled with fear. It’s filled with peace.
“Every day, I’m grateful my dad is here. He’s safe, he’s smiling, and he’s my best friend again. That’s the kind of love I celebrate, not just one day a year, but every single day. ”
Today, Sarah no longer carries the fear of losing her father to addiction. Instead, she carries the joy of watching him grow, thrive, and live a life better than the day before. Joe is back to being the dad she remembers… strong, steady, and full of hope. And Sarah? She’s a living testament to the power of relentless love, the kind that never gives up.
Today Sarah’s relationship with her father is restored, and she is using her story to bring the same hope of redemption to other fathers, mothers, sons and daughters who are facing battles with addiction.
That’s the power of restoration. That’s what happens when we invest in lives that are hurting and hungry for hope.Friend, your support made that transformation possible.
Thank you for helping us bring healing to families like Sarah’s and Joe’s. And thank you for making it possible for people to finally show up once again – as parents made new.
And it all starts with your faithful support.
Your gift can change a life.
By donating to our scholarship fund, you help individuals access the recovery support they need but may not be able to afford. Together, we can offer hope, healing, and a chance for a brighter future. Every contribution makes a difference—thank you for being part of their recovery story.
