Battling against addiction is one of the most challenging fights that I’ve ever had in my life. Skydiving is one of the key points of my recovery. After my friend passed away in a car accident, I decided to quit drugs and alcohol; I knew I was the next one to follow that path. Even though I had the support of my family and friends, I was feeling alone. I found a place to go, and I discovered people like me. There, we all could share different stories but similar feelings. That place and those people helped me a lot, and step by step, I was changing my behaviour. They were the strength that I needed during the worst moments of this fight. Honestly, I never got disappointed with this group of people.

When I was almost one year into recovery skydiving came to my life. I was already shifting my energy towards sports. However, when I first jumped, I knew that was it! I found something that could take all my frustrations, fears, and anxieties out of my mind (and it was not illegal). Falling through the sky make me live the present, nothing else, just the most precious gift we have.

How it started?

My first jump was incredible. However, it was the second jump that changed everything. The first time I jumped out of an airplane, I didn’t know what was going on. However, It was on the second jump that I truly decided to turn my will and my life over to the care of something more powerful than I ever will be. I’m saying it because I had the worse thoughts before the jump (OMG, I was so afraid of dying), but I did it anyway. I learned that I have t0 believe that I have good things in my future and, I gave up my fears and jumped into the unknown.

The fourth jump was freedom. That was the first time I flew without anyone holding me. What can I say about skydiving? It really hooked me up.

I moved to California in 2015. I had 70 jumps when I got there. In a few months, I was able to double that. I was by myself, living in a tent during the weekend and studying English during the week in San Francisco, and it was one of the best times of my life. I was discovering who I am. Without preconceptions and a huge heart, the skydiving community gave me space to understand myself and the love I needed to complete this process.

Keep coming back

If you relate to this story of fighting addiction or want to talk more about my recovery experience, please send me a message. You can find me on Facebook or Instagram. I just want to say that there is always hope. Anyone can change. We simply need the desire to stop.

Since my first day jumping, I pray in the plane: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and, the wisdom to know the difference.

If it works for me, it might work for you.

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