MEMPHIS, Tenn. — While most fathers are celebrating the holiday dedicated to them, some fathers in Southaven are working to better themselves so they can provide healthier lives for their children.
Instead of spending father’s day with his two kids, Sam Gover is spending time bettering himself for them.
For the first time without his little ones he’s reflecting on just how much he’s changed in the last three weeks.
“This is the first one where I haven’t been around them. But then I look at that and I’m like, ‘Well, have I ever been around them?” the father said.
Gover is seeking treatment at the Turning Point Facility.
Battling with alcohol abuse, Gover is recovering from a binge drinking problem he’s had for 12 years.
It’s a problem that hurt all of his loved ones, including his son and daughter.
“I would’ve waited any longer, they might have been like, ‘Man, I don’t want to be around daddy. He’s an alcoholic. He’s a drunk.”
Gover sits through classes, where he learns how to be a father, and more so, learns how to be a better man.
Joshua Eldred is his recovery coach.
He teaches because he’s fought his own battles.
“One day he stopped and said, ‘I really appreciated your group today.’ I always ask them what did they get out of the class, and he said, ‘You just kind of made me realize how much stuff I have going on inside of me,” Eldred said of Gover.
As a father of 10, Eldred recovered from severe depression and attempted suicides.
“I was really angry and hateful towards stuff that I couldn’t change.”
Now as Gover is one of dozens of fathers trying to make it right, he hopes his story can be a testimony for others.
“There’s always time to build that relationship and mend that relationship. It’s never too late,” he said.
If you or someone you know struggles with alcohol addiction and/or mental health, there are ways to get help.
You can learn more about treatment at the Turning Point facility.
https://www.turningpointtreatment.org/.
There is also a 24/7 hotline you can call at 1-844-209-4860.
