One Eighty ceremony: Grads tell of  tragedy and triumph

The 13 graduates told stories of tragedy and triumph. They told stories of being homeless, hopeless, and then about their tough road to recovery. They told their comeback stories. Those 13 Quad Citians now are graduates of the 14-month rehabilitation program conducted by the Quad Cities nonprofit group One Eighty. Several hundred guests heard those […]

The 13 graduates told stories of tragedy and triumph. They told stories of being homeless, hopeless, and then about their tough road to recovery. They told their comeback stories. Those 13 Quad Citians now are graduates of the 14-month rehabilitation program conducted by the Quad Cities nonprofit group One Eighty. Several hundred guests heard those stories of coming back from drug and alcohol abuse during the graduation ceremony Friday night, Jan. 27, at One Eighty’s Community Center at 601 Marquette St., Davenport.

The ceremony featured the largest graduation class in recent memory for the grassroots organization. Most classes have about six or seven graduates, said Jenny Halupnik, director of engagement for One Eighty. Ms. Halupnik added that many of the graduates are staying on with One Eighty as staff members and are helping other residents who are now in the residential program. Other graduates are employed in the community. “The size of our graduation class ebbs and flows and is largely determined by how many new residents we have coming into the program in a given time period,” she added. “This group of graduates would have entered in the late fall of 2021. Around that time, we did increase our beds so we could serve more people needing services. That is also the time period of things opening back up after the pandemic, and we did witness that the pandemic triggered more people to struggle with addiction.” Friday’s ceremony featured high-energy songs from a Quad Cities band called Rare Breed, many words of praise and hugs from people in the audience, and gifts of graduation rings, roses and Christian books at the end of the ceremony. But the main feature of the night centered on the graduates. Most of them told the audience of their struggles; many of those struggles were centered around drug abuse, coupled with the stresses and isolation brought on by the pandemic. They also told about how One Eighty and their faith in God helped them through the dark times. “I was just a massive drug user,” Shane Wheeler, one of the One Eighty program graduates, said after the graduation ceremony. “Now, I have no wants or needs to go back to drugs.”

During the ceremony, Mr. Wheeler praised One Eighty’s residential program for turning his life around. “Before I came here, I was lost,” he added. That program centers on helping men and women coming out of crisis, poverty, addiction or incarceration. It takes participants about 14 months to complete the program, which involves many hours of career training, personal development classes, Bible studies and church as well as working in a One Eighty company. Mr. Wheeler said the toughest part of the program for him was a class called Ultimate Journey. “In that class, you really have to dig deep into your past,” he said. Today, Mr. Wheeler wants to help other people who are facing tough times. He hopes to become a counselor, and is a full-time student with an online Christian college. Another graduating, Ian Hauschild, thanked his parents, girlfriend and many other people in his life who supported him through the tough times. He also thanked One Eighty. “Being here is like a kid trying to ride a bike. … They take the training wheels off and you fall down a couple of times,” he added. Some other highlights of the graduates’ stories and comments included:

• Several graduates told how their drug abuse destroyed almost everything in their lives. They lost their jobs, money, homes, freedom, and even the custody of their children. “I became homeless and hopeless. … I just couldn’t get on my feet,” said Sara Johnson, one of the latest graduates.

However, today Ms. Johnson is rebuilding her life, family and career. “I have hope again,” she told the crowd.

• Graduate Nicolas Ray Elsea also is looking forward to better days and having a thriving career. He said one of his many goals is to establish a music studio production company.
• Another graduate read a letter from his young daughter and about her fears that she might find him dead from a drug overdose.
• Graduate Tanner Christensen told the crowd of taking heroin and “hitting rock bottom 14 months ago when I lost visitation rights with my children.” Today, he said, his future looks bright.
• Other graduates told the crowd that through the help of One Eighty and God, they are finally becoming the parents their children deserve, and even good grandparents. “It’s an overwhelming feeling to know how much God loves me. … I am the grandmother my grandchildren deserve,” said graduate Patty Kennedy.