Home Run: The Comeback Story

Everyone loves a comeback story. Seeing people overcome seemingly impossible odds encourages us to face our own struggles. Home Run is a movie about a baseball all-star who ends up in Celebrate Recovery® to find freedom from his past and hope for his future. Celebrate Recovery® is a biblically-based 12-step program that was created by Saddleback Church in 1990. Home Run is based on the true stories of thousands of people who have turned to Celebrate Recovery® for help and hope, stories like that of Greg and Carol Evans.  

Greg spent the first 38 years of his life running from his fears, insecurities, and worries. I was the guy who drove intoxicated, but never got a DUI,” says Greg. “I was the guy who used drugs and alcohol, but never had an overdose. But after having used alcohol and drugs for over 24 years, my luck seemed to be running out, and my life was beginning to catch up with me.”

Greg’s younger brother was born with a narrow valve and 2 holes in his heart. And at the of three it was confirmed that he was severely developmentally disabled. Greg’s brother’s mental capacity would remain at the level of a five-year-old, and as his parents worked to care for his brother, it left him feeling confused and alone. Greg turned to sports to occupy his time and gain a sense of belonging. “I decided to start living for myself and my brother, and be the best son for both my parents. I wanted to help my parents forget about the troubles of my brother. I dreamed that I would one day become a professional athlete which would allow me to take care of my brother for the rest of his life.”

Greg was a star athlete, but struggled academically. In order to keep up the facade, he started cheating on tests, forging notes, and lying to cover his behavior. In eighth grade he started drinking and liked the way his fears and insecurities seemed to melt away when he was drunk. By his senior year of high school, he had become one of the best basketball players in Southern California and received a full scholarship to play Division 1 basketball. He was one step closer to his dream of becoming a professional athlete. But he continued his double life and began using marijuana. His dreams were cut short just five games into the season when he hurt his knee and was taken off the team. “I felt like a complete disgrace and failure.” 

After college, Greg got a great-paying job, and continued his lifestyle of partying hard on the weekends. And that’s when he began to experiment with harder drugs. During that time, he met a woman named Carol who would eventually become his wife.

“She was beautiful, funny, hardworking, mature, and a Christian. She had all the qualities that I was lacking. And this is this is where I began the manipulation to persuade her to like me. I would tell her everything she wanted to hear. I even told her that I was a Christian. Unfortunately for her, she did not know that I was fake and a liar.”

Carol had grown up in a home where alcohol and abuse were prevalent, but she had grown accustomed to keeping up the appearance of being a loving, church-going family. She thought Greg was her knight in shining armor until they got married, and she began to see the effects of his addictions.

“I honestly thought that if I got married I would change,” says Greg. “But at our wedding, I left her alone to hang out and party with my friends. And our wedding night, which was to be this special time between Carol and I, didn’t happen because I was too intoxicated.”

Carol and Greg were trying to live the American dream. They bought a house, had a daughter, and both had great jobs. On the outside they looked like they had it together, but they were struggling and drifting apart. Carol started to have panic attacks and became very depressed. Greg was confused and frustrated as he tried to help her. Greg once again turned to partying to numb the pain and stress. And then he was introduced to cocaine.

Their marriage suffered as Greg got deeper into drugs and worked harder to hide the habit from Carol. She finally insisted they see a counselor.  “Something came over me and I knew I could not lie anymore,” says Greg. “I broke down and told Carol that I was addicted to cocaine.”

The counselor suggested that Carol and Greg go to Celebrate Recovery®, and just a few months after they started the program, Greg gave his life to Christ.

Carol also experienced freedom in Celebrate Recovery®. “I could no longer run away from my fears and pain,” says Carol. “Since turning my will over to God and giving the program my all, communication and trust between Greg and I is being rebuilt. I have learned how to forgive Greg and others in my life that have hurt me. CR has helped me find a peace and freedom that I have never known, and though I am not healed I am healing. I will never be perfect, but my victory is in my progress.”

“Since I have been attending Celebrate Recovery® my life has changed dramatically for the better,” says Greg. “I needed a program that would not only get me sober, but a place where I was going to become a better husband, father, friend, brother…person.  First and foremost, I needed to find Christ.”

Click here to learn more about Celebrate Recovery®. 

Click here to learn more about Saddleback's Depression/Bring Back the Hope Support Group.

Click here to learn more about Home Run the movie.