Open Doors to Recovery for Renato

Watch Renato’s Freedom Story

Renato Fider is an addict.

Growing up, he was materially provided for, but not emotionally. His journey to addiction started with tobacco, but he soon became curious about other drugs: cough syrup, marijuana, alcohol. “What would the effects be like,” Renato asked, “I needed to try them.”

His worst addiction was meth. It was different, and Renato liked the effect it had on him. “I was consumed morally and physically, and relationships were destroyed” he says.

He lost the trust of his family. He did not care about the pain he was causing other people. Renato remembers the stigma that surrounded him as an addict. No one wanted to talk about it. “The stigma kills more than the addiction,” Renato says.

In 1990, Renato was put in prison for a buy-bust operation. The effect on his family was devastating. The family hired a lawyer who was a Christian and gave Renato his first Bible.

Renato read it in jail and soon developed a hunger to learn more.“ The transformation was just beyond words,” he says.

After his release, Renato relapsed and hit rock bottom when his mother died of cancer. Renato remembers crying to God to get him out and to send him help. Renato then made the decision to go to rehab. “I surrendered my life to God because He is the only one who can give me true comfort and happiness,” he says. “It’s only Christ.”

After he left rehab, clean, he still had cravings to use drugs, but he now had something else to turn to. Now an international certified addictions professional, Renato shares the message of the hope of recovery to others. “Recovery for me will be my last breath,” he says, “and I will say, ‘I’m home, Lord.’ That’s recovery.”