Drug addiction can bring with it mental health issues, poverty and much more. That’s why places like the Restoration Society provide stigma-free resources.

Patrick Evancho, a rehabilitation practitioner, is very familiar with them.

“I grew up playing hockey, football ... played hockey for 18 years,” Evancho said.

He had an idea how his life was going to go until he didn’t.

“I got into drugs out of high school. Quit playing hockey," he recalled. "I started doing heroin, IV heroin. I became homeless on the streets going to soup kitchens, shelters and stuff like that.”

A consuming drug addiction led to mental health issues and then some legal troubles. That got him into drug court, where he started going to Narcotics Anonymous.

“By getting into NA, this guy kind of gave me a shot. He works here. He said, 'Listen, if you,'  I had about a year clean. He said, 'if you get your license,' which I owed like $1,400 on, he said, 'if you get your license, I'll guarantee you an interview.' He said, 'I can't guarantee you the job, but I'll get your interview.' ”

That’s how Evancho ended up at Restoration Society, Inc., a recovery-based, holistic mental health service. Its programs are wide-ranging.

“It's the best feeling in the world, helping somebody,” said Evancho.

He works on outreach in-house and on the road, coming at addiction and mental health with a no judgement approach.

“You see somebody come in broken and they start learning how to change their clothes on their own, bathe on their own, they start eating again," said Evancho. "It's beautiful. It's a beautiful thing.”

That’s why he shares his story.

“People always ask that question to addicts and people with mental health: 'If you can go back and do this, would you do that,' " said Evancho. "I don't know because I like where I am today. I get to help people.”

So he urges anyone who needs a hand to ask for it and maybe allow him to be the one to offer that second chance.

“That was the biggest thing that that held me back: my pride, my ego. It's like yeah, 'I know,' those were my favorite words, 'I know.' But I didn't know, you know," said Evancho. "Don’t be afraid to ask for help."