This did not start with a business plan. It started with a broken man in a cell who finally let go.
FAAD is a faith-based recovery and education program. That does not mean you have to belong to a specific religion or denomination to be here. What it means is that we believe in a higher power, and we ask for an open mind and respect for others and their beliefs.
Open-mindedness is especially important for non-believers — and the reason is simple. From my own experience, from many failures, and from the work of this program, one truth has become clear: it takes something greater than ourselves to bring about the kind of deep, lasting change that recovery requires.
Willpower alone is not enough. Good intentions are not enough. FAAD was built on the belief that real transformation requires surrendering to something bigger than yourself — and for us, that is God.
The road that led to FAAD was not a straight one. It was a long road filled with bad decisions, broken cycles, and years of living life the wrong way.
Incarceration started at age 10. There were stretches of motivation, times when things seemed like they were turning around. My kids were the biggest reason I ever pushed myself to change — and because of them, I worked harder than I ever had before. I stayed out of incarceration longer than ever. It felt like it might finally stick.
But it did not.
Even with the right motivation, the drinking continued. The pot. Other drugs. Living life my own way. I thought I was doing the right things, thought my reasons were good — but the decisions kept leading back to the same places. Bad decision making has a chain reaction: one leads to another, and another. And those decisions can cost you your life or someone else’s, whether you meant it to or not.
“It ain’t always when you’re down and out that you start messing up. It’s also when you’re up, when you think you’re strong and doing good. You get complacent and comfortable. You let your guard down and think — just this once.” — Larry Hellyer II
I was what people call a functioning addict — at least I thought I was. And then came the moment that changed everything.
Sitting in a cell. Looking at life. The turning point came after addiction caused devastating consequences for his family and future. That was the moment I stopped pretending I could handle it on my own.
I surrendered my will to God.
What happened after that became the foundation for FAAD. Not because everything suddenly became easy, but because for the first time, I was not doing it alone — and the difference was undeniable.
“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got!”
I believe we are here for a reason. That we were created. That there is life after death and a manual for how to live — the Bible. And I believe that so many people fall short not because they don’t try, but because they try to do it on their own, without committing to something greater, without letting God guide them and putting Him first.
FAAD exists because of that belief — and because of everything it cost to get there.
— Larry Hellyer II
“Faith without works is dead.”
James 2:26Recovery begins with honesty and accountability. Real change happens when a person accepts responsibility for the harm addiction causes and commits daily to living differently.
Recovery does not stay inside four walls. FAAD leader Larry Hellyer II carries the message into the community wherever it is needed.
Larry has been invited to Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility to share personal testimony on addiction, accountability, and the real impact substance abuse has on families and communities. His message connects with young people regardless of where they come from, reaching them before addiction takes root.
He has also been invited back to Miami Prison as part of the Kiros program, continuing the prison ministry work that is central to FAAD’s faith-based mission. When available, he volunteers alongside his son at the Kokomo Rescue Mission — putting in the time, not just the words.
Beyond that, Larry participates in GAP meetings, attends Bible study, and is a regular part of his church community. This is not performance. This is what active recovery looks like lived out loud.
Recovery is not a moment. It is a daily commitment built on work ethic, community, faith, and structure. Here is what that looks like in practice.
Larry founded a faith-based recovery initiative with community outreach and peer support at its core. He works in union trades — showing up, doing the job, building something stable. He attends AA, NA, and GAP meetings. He has completed IOP treatment, worked the 12 steps, and finished addiction recovery classes.
His days have structure: morning devotionals, workout routines, daily planning, Bible study, prayer, and gratitude. He volunteers, gives to charity, participates in community cleanup, and serves at the mission. He is rebuilding relationships with his family.
None of that happened overnight. But all of it is real — and all of it is available to anyone willing to start. That is what FAAD exists to show people.
If any part of this story sounds familiar, reach out. There is a way out — and you do not have to find it alone.
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