Inspirational storiesBlog
Rhys’s smiling eyes light up when he talks about running. It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago, this warm and determined dad was on the verge of giving up on life.
Rhys grew up surrounded by drug use and instability, and from a young age, he spent time in care. Without the safety and support every child needs, he carried a lot of pain into adulthood. Drugs became a way to cope, but over time, they took everything from him: his freedom, his relationships, and his sense of self.
“I felt so disconnected from family and friends over the years”, Rhys says.
His children were very young during the worst of his addiction, and looking back now, Rhys can see how lost he was. Every time things fell apart, drugs were at the centre of it.
Eventually, he reached a point where he had nothing left, and he knew something had to change.
Everything began to change when Rhys was given the chance to enter treatment and attend High Park, MQI’s residential rehabilitation service. Supported by compassionate staff at High Park, he found a safe, non-judgmental space to begin healing. vice. Supported by compassionate staff at High Park, he found a safe, non-judgmental space to begin healing. High Park Residential Rehabilitation Programme is a 14-week fully residential programme that offers a drug- and alcohol-free environment where people are supported to understand the deeper issues behind their addiction and develop realistic ways to prevent relapse. With individual care plans, one-to-one support, group work, psychoeducational sessions, fitness and outdoor activities, it focuses on recovery that is both structured and deeply personal.
“I was meant to be there, you know, to get my confidence back and stuff when I actually started learning more about myself, everything I was carrying for years,” he says.
Recovery wasn’t just about stopping drug use. It was about understanding his behaviour, his past, and the reasons he kept returning to addiction. Around this time, Rhys also discovered running. What started as short runs grew into ultramarathons, becoming a powerful outlet for resilience, reflection and purpose.
“To be able to run for hours with no headphones, no nothing, just my thoughts, it’s just crazy,” he says. Running gave him focus, routine and belief in himself. Step by step, it helped him realise he was capable of more.
In 2025, Rhys took part in MQI’s Road to Recovery challenge, running 80km from St Francis Farm detox centre in Carlow to High Park in Dublin. Reaching the finish line wasn’t just a physical achievement; it marked a new chapter in his life, with his family on the side supporting him.
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Today, Rhys has been in recovery for three years and is living a life he once thought was impossible. He is working a full-time job and, most importantly, he is a present and loving dad to his three children.
“I love watching my son playing football – my other son, he’s in boxing, and my daughter, she’s in dancing. These are things I can be present for now. When I was in addiction, my kids were small and I wasn’t really there. Now that they’re growing up, they see a different Rhys. I get to be with them and build all these little memories that just wouldn’t have been possible before. I’m able to be there with them and have all these little memories that I wouldn’t have been able to in the past,” he says.
Running remains a big part of Rhys’s journey, and he now plans to take on a 200km race in support of MQI. He is deeply grateful to the donors who make services like High Park possible.
“I’ve seen the quality of the treatment centres, the staff and the facilities. Everything, the place is unbelievable, it’s because of people’s donations. Without people’s donations, places like High Park simply wouldn’t exist,” Rhys says.
Rhys’s journey shows that recovery is possible, and that with compassion and support, lives really can change.
