My name is Rob Reynolds, i am 43 and from Martinsburg WV. I spent 17 years there as an addict. I grew up with parents who were addicts . I got into drug dealing around 15 or 16. Was heavy into it by age 16. I drank a lot then and smoked a lot of pot. I was selling around 100 pounds of weed a week. I did that through most of high school.
I graduated from Hedgesville High School in 1993. I was moving on to heavier drugs by then,cocaine and a lot of acid. I stayed out of trouble for the most part ,meaning i never got caught. I had my first daughter in 95 and gave up a lot of the dealing. Then got married in 97. Around 99 i started working in Leesburg doing plumbing ,still drinking and using. I started selling cocaine in large quantities after working with a lot of drug dealers in Va. It wasn’t long before i was strung out on cocaine and running out of money and resorting to criminal activity. I was stealing credit cards and maxing them out and then cutting them up ,trading the stuff for coke. Then i got introduced to pain pills. I had hurt my back and was on them, but never realized you could snort them and get real high.
I started with Tylox and Percocet. Then once my back got bad my dr. Prescribed oxycontin 80 s. I was off to the races then. Got so bad we lost our house 2 brand new cars and most of our stuff. Then every place we rented we were evicted. I started getting fake prescriptions, 7 a month and really spiraled downhill. I ended up having 4 back surgeries, one shoulder surgery and a hole cut out of my thigh within 4 years. All the while getting more addicted to oxycontin.
Then i was diagnosed bipolar and manic depressive plus borderline paranoid schizophrenia. So i was a real mess. I ended up with prescription fruad, welfare fraud ,credit card fraud and breaking and entering charges. Spent almost a year in and out of jail. I kept getting worse.
I was in and out of rehabs ,N.A and A.A meetings. I just couldn’t stay sober. I would make it 3 months ,6 months ,even one time almost a year clean and relapse. I overdosed several times, and wound up in a physch ward when i woke up. In 2004 to 2007 i spiraled way out of control. We had another duaghter by then in 2005, and that shouldve kept me clean ,but i got worse. The last year was real bad i was shooting coke ,occasionaly shooting heroin, mostly snorted it. I was drinking heavily and doing alot of oxycontin and valium,and smoking alot of crack.
I really wanted to die, and tried to o.d a few times. I wound up on a 3.week beinge of everything , robbed a bar ,that my wife at the time worked at, a sheets store , and a man outside a Rocks station and on the run from the cops. I went to another rehab to hide from the cops. Left there and went to a long term rehab in Charleston, WV. Ended up drunk there and in jail.
Got sent back to Martinsburg, and ended up with a 10 year prison sentence. I did 4 years straight, but it was the best thing that couldve happened to me. After 2 years at the regional i went to Huttonsville prison. I eneded up in a rsat program and met 2 men who showed me the love of Christ. The convinced me to go to a Kairos prison minstry weekend. There i surrendered and gave my life to Jesus on 11/20/2010. And Jesus set me free!!!
I was delivered from drugs ,cigaretts, alcohol, depression and have never even craved any of it since that day. I got out in 2011. I went through a christian discipleship program for 1 year called the House of Miracles. I graduated and worked under a youth pastor for a few years. Then i started sharing my stories at Shenandoah Valley Teen Challenge, and the Lord starting using me to spread hope to others suffering. I am remarried to a beautiful wife that loves the Lord. I have both my duaghters back in my life. And a new duaghter.
We have a christian daycare which we own and operate ,we have a new baby boy that we are fostering ,and i own and operate the Freedom House of WV. Which is a faith based discipleship program for addicts and alcoholics or anyone who just wants to have a relationship with Jesus and get their life together and be used by him . The Lord is so Good!!!! John 8 ;36 says .. who the son sets free is free indeed. Jesus sets people free. What he did in my life and so many others he will do for you too. He took me from a prisoner behind bars , outcast of society and now has me preaching the Gospel ,laying hands on people ,praying with people and leading them to Jesus. What an awesome God we serve !!!!
