Part 3 of 3 – Austin’s Addiction

If you have already read part 1 and 2 of my blog story, you know that Austin was definitely not doing so well by 2011.

It was 12 years since Columbine and his addiction was getting the best of him.

He was not able to be a stable father to his 2 children. His marriage was ending.

At this point in his life, the drug he was abusing was Oxycontin.

April 2, 2011 became a significant day for Austin. This was the day that his life started to turn around. But, not before he hit another low…

On April 2, 2011 Austin remembers driving into downtown Denver and picking up 13 Roxicodone pills.

He remembers, then, heading to Coors Field to see a Colorado Rockies baseball game. It was opening day.

The next thing he remembered was that he woke up and found himself in a jail cell.

He was told that he passed out in a restaurant.

He was told that he overdosed on OxyContin.

The police got involved and ultimately the courts got involved. The courts pretty much had control over what direction Austin was going to take in his life. Jail vs. rehab.

Austin was 29 years old at the time.

Rehab was where he went. The court system put Austin in a rehab facility.

Guess what happened next?

This particular rehab facility did good things for him and Austin came out from this facility a changed man.

He was there for 7 months.

He likes to share the name of this particular treatment center because this place saved his life. It is called Stout Street Foundation.

I looked on Stout Street’s Facebook page.. It’s incredible to read the positive comments regarding this rehab facility .. This place has saved many lives !

It’s a very intense treatment center. They shaved Austin’s head and did things to “break him down”. He was there because he had to appease the court but he also knew he NEEDED to be there for himself, as well.

After that, he got placed in a half – way house and was able to go to meetings at the Stout Street Foundation a few times a week to keep his rehab progress going forward in the right direction.

After a year and a half of being sober, the courts released Austin from their control.

So, since April of 2011 Austin Eubanks has found lasting recovery.

Once he started to transition back into “the real world”, he knew he could not go back into the same work / social environment that he was in previously because he may fall back into his old habits.

He was fortunate enough to be given an employment position at a rehab treatment facility in the Denver area. He was a program manager. He relied on his connections to help him find a new job and someone gave him a chance.

Austin continues to work in the drug treatment community within the Denver area as a managing director. He loves it and he feels fulfilled.

In my research, I found that there are a lot of drug treatment centers in the Denver area. Probably because of the beautiful backdrop of the Rocky Mountains and the healthy lifestyle that is inherent in that community and area of the country.

What’s really cool about it is that Austin is able to use his background in advertising and his personal experience in recovery to be a successful managing director. This is a nice combination of skills to have and it works well for him. He can remain in the recovery environment and can continue to use his advertising skills at the same time.

Most  importantly, he can help others as he continues to help himself.

He is happy and he is busy. He’s engaged to a beautiful and loving woman named Alex.

He is now a fantastic father to his boys (Now ages 10 and 6). He spends time with them and loves them dearly. He also has a very good relationship with his ex-wife.

Something else about Austin that is a very important part of his life is fly fishing. In Colorado, you can do lots of that.

Austin has always loved fishing since he was a young boy and he still continues to do that in his spare time.

This is what Austin looks like now…Happy, healthy, and extremely handsome. 4 years and 11 months sober.

I asked Austin a few additional questions …. Here they are.

1. Do you think about Corey every day?
   

    I tend to think about him when I am fly fishing. We used to do that together. When I catch a fish, I think of Corey.  It’s my special time for that.

2. Do you know if there were any other classmates who were in the library with you that day who also turned to addiction as a result?
   

   I am not sure. I actually walked away and never looked back. I have stayed in touch with no one. It seems to me like everyone went their own way.

3. I am curious about your attitude. Do you feel like this is a journey that you have been on Since April 20, 1999 and it was “meant to be” because it ultimately landed you in a place where you’ve found your life’s purpose? …… OR…… Do you view it as “I am just making the best out of a bad situations or situations that occurred in my life”?
   

   I would have to say , a little bit of both. I am not a religious person and so I don’t really view my life events as “it was meant to be”….But I have definitely landed in a place where I now feel fulfilled.

4. Looking back now – with all the trauma you endured at age 16, and any other life stresses you had…. Is there anything you think you could have done to stop yourself from becoming addicted?
   

   Looking back I suppose I could conceptualize some interactions that could have happened. But I really do think that I was over prescribed. I think the system tends to train the prescribers … But the prescribers do not get trained in addiction.

5. Has FORGIVENESS played a role in your recovery?
   

   Do I forgive the perpetrators?

   I would say no.

   I have moved on, however. But, there are some things I just can’t forgive.

   That’s interesting that you asked me that question. I received a phone call from the media a few weeks ago regarding the 20/20 interview with Sue Klebold (mother of one of the perpetrators) . They asked me if I have forgiven HER.

   I don’t hold her accountable.

6. That Columbine High School yearbook photo of yourself.. (Actually was a photo from 3 years earlier then the Columbine tragedy, but the media used it as his main photo for some reason). What goes through your mind when you look at it now?

I think about hanging out with Corey. Fishing and golfing.

Also, it reminds me that time in my life sucked. That 20 minutes of my life…. on that day in April of 1999.. has defined my high school years.  It had defined me and it sucked.

I put all of my cards, letters and other memorable items from that time in a large box. I labeled it “Columbine Memories’. That box stays closed most of the time. I have to go back to it sometimes for different reasons. But for the most part, that box stays closed.

It was an honor to be able to talk to Austin. He is such a nice, genuine person. I am thankful for the opportunity. He didn’t have to take that hour out of his day to talk to me, yet he did ..

I intend to keep in touch with him .

UPDATE: That was how my original story ended in 2016.
This is what happened with Austin.. From 2016 to 2019…

After getting to know Austin, I followed him on social media and in the news. He became a celebrity. News media picked up on his story of recovery and he began going out and speaking his story to crowds all over the world. News shows did stories about him. Magazines, such as “People”, covered his story. He did a Ted Talk. He was doing well. So it seemed.

In the beginning of 2019, I noticed he had announced on social media that he and his fiancé had decided to split.

I was worried for him when I read that. His comments seemed as though he messed up in some way.

A month or two after that (May 2019) I read the sad news. According to the news stories, Austin wasn’t answering his calls and someone requested a wellness check on him at his home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
They found Austin dead. He was 37 years old.
It was reported that he died of a heroin overdosed.
I remember reading a week prior to his death, he was giving a talk at a conference in another state.. Telling everyone about how he recovered…. at the same time he was using again.

His addiction began in April of 1999 and it ended in May of 2019. A 20 year battle.
Rest in Peace.