Recovering Addicts Can Turn To Special Academy For Another Chance At Life

DENVER (CBS4) - Gareth Bozung didn't think he'd be moving furniture in Denver just a few years ago. On Wednesday, he was helping his team load up furniture for The Other Side Movers.

"I did think I was broken," he said. "I didn't want to go to prison, and I was trying to find any way out that I could. I didn't want to give up life. I knew there was something more, I knew there was a purpose. Now, I know my purpose, my purpose is to help other people struggling with addiction."

The moving company is the main revenue source that allows The Other Side Academy to help students recover from addiction. The academy just started in Denver after thriving in Salt Lake City.

"It's long, it's strict, and it's structured. And it has a community that wants the best out of every individual, and so it has everyone rise up to that occasion," said Steven Strong, a manager at The Other Side Academy. "We tell people how it is, and since we've been through it we can relate to everybody."

The academy is a two-year commitment at no cost for people hoping to start living a clean life. Students work at the moving company to stay in the program. All of the staff are former students. Bozung says it's the long-term treatment that has helped him change.

"I haven't been off probation since I was 15 years old. I'm off probation now," he said. "Moving is hard, but once you have a purpose, once you have a bigger picture than you, and you make it about other people it's easy. It makes you feel good because you're doing the right thing. You're being honest. And you're paying it forward for more people."

Since opening late in May, The Other Side Academy has already accepted two students, and they're hoping to help more people. If you or someone you know is seeking help the academy can be reached at (303) 335-9488.