Advocates gather in Central Park to celebrate recovery from addiction

Sep. 27—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Using the vernacular, one might say that Joshua Horner has been around the block.

Like many people who struggle through each day, Horner turned to alcohol.

"I didn't want to look at my father's suicide," said Horner, 33, of Johnstown. "My best friend took his life right in front of me.

"The death of my mother and my grandparents, these things brought a lot of pain," he said. "Instead of looking at them in a healing way, I used alcohol to blind myself. Four years ago, I said, 'Enough is enough.' "

Horner was one of many who turned out at Central Park in downtown Johnstown on Saturday for the fifth annual Recovery in the Valley, sponsored by Magellan Behavioral Health of Pennsylvania. Those in recovery shared stories, and organizations including Crossroads, Alliance Medical Services of Johnstown and the Community Guidance Center gave out literature about recovery programs.

"As you can see, there is no shortage of agencies and individuals here working in Cambria County, all with the same goal — to promote recovery and reduce the stigma," said Steph Cassanese, recovery support navigator for Magellan.

Horner views recovery as a step-by-step growing process. The first step is asking for help.

"Asking for help, there's no shame in that game," he said. "For the longest time, I didn't ask for help, and all it did was get me farther and farther."

He is grateful for the support he received from Christ the Saviour Orthodox Cathedral in Johnstown's West End.

"They looked at me for who I was and didn't judge me," Horner said. "There was a woman who took me to church for a year and a half because I didn't have a car."

People take different roads to recovery, said Tracy Shultz, director of operations for Magellan.

"We're celebrating people who are in recovery no matter which path they choose," she said.