Since he was 22 years old, Casey Conway has been in and out of rehab, struggling to beat his addiction to alcohol. Now, 17 years later, he's sober and celebrating his first Father's Day with no secrets between him and his son.
"I always protected him," Casey said. "He knew my mom was an alcoholic, but I protected him from what I was."
That changed about a year ago when Casey went to treatment and realized keeping his addiction from his son, Payton, was holding him back from sobriety.
"I knew I had to be honest with him, and I was like, 'Look, dad’s an alcoholic, and I struggle,'" Casey said. "That’s been the biggest turning point in my recovery because I have a lot of skin in the game now."
Casey now works at Addiction Campuses as a Recovery Specialist, helping others find their own path to sobriety. He's open and honest with his son about his job and his ongoing struggle.
"We’re very honest with each other. We talk about a lot of things together," said Payton Conway. "I’m proud that he’s a good father, and he stopped drinking for us so we could have a better life."
If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol or drugs, Addiction Campuses can help. You can also call 1-888-614-2251.
Casey and Payton spent Father's Day hiking together at Cummins Falls.
