For years, it was a revolving door of prison and crime for Alfonso Ramirez.”I was always fighting riots and stuff like that with the cops. And I stood out,” Ramirez said.He spent 17 years in prison in all. His first offense was on Zuni Pueblo, which led to a federal prison sentence, where he eventually met Freddy Sedillo.”When I was in prison, went to the federal system, and everything just kind of elevated itself. You know, I became a better convict. Better criminal,” Sedillo said.Sedillo said he eventually wanted a better life for himself.”I knew that I just wanted something better for myself. I knew that I wanted to be the best father, a grandfather that I could be, because I wasn’t a good father,” Sedillo said.Sedillo later became a certified peer support worker for the City of Albuquerque’s Violence Intervention Program at Albuquerque Community Safety. Now, he uses that lived experience to guide others away from violence and addiction.”I reached when I did reach out, reach out to Alfonso, and we got connected. I told him ‘let’s let’s change your life. Brotherhood is not about lying, killing and stealing. It’s about being there for each other and helping each other to succeed,’” Sedillo said.Ramirez’s recovery was not linear, and there were setbacks along the way, including a moment involving a suicide attempt.”I shattered my pelvis. I broke my right femur, and of course, I broke my hand,” Ramirez said. “The doctors told me that I will never walk again. But now I beat it, so I started walking again. And, I’ve been doing great ever since.””I just told myself that that wasn’t for me anymore. I didn’t like the feeling anymore,” Ramirez said.ACS teams reconnected with Ramirez while he was hospitalized. Teams across Opioid Education and Prevention (OEP) and the Violence Intervention Program (VIP) worked to connect Ramirez to medication-assisted treatment through Anchor Behavioral Health.”I did Alfonso’s intake … I remember just looking at Alfonso outside,” said Christian Alvarado, director of operations at Anchor Behavioral Health. “I could just see it in his eyes, like this dude wanted it. It’s life or death at that point. And, I told him we’re going to, you know, I’m going to take my shot at you, and I want you to really, you know, really, take advantage of this program.”Anchor Behavioral Health is a six-month program offering sober living homes and group therapy.”Like people like Alfonso, he utilized what he had here and took in the support and soaked it all up and, working the 12 steps for a recovery-based treatment center,” Alvarado said.Ramirez has now gone from client to coach. He even took crews inside the home where he once found help and now helps others.”I try to hear their side of the story, you know, what they’re going through, because everybody wants to be heard. Everybody wants to talk,” Ramirez said.So much so, he is now headed to Boise, Idaho, to help start another branch of Anchor Behavioral Health. “I believe you know that. They could use me. I just want to spread all the happiness and everything. I want to show everybody that they can do it. If I can do it, they can. I keep trying, I try not to give up on anybody. But some people, they’re just lost in their addiction,” Ramirez said. “I want them to get their family back if they lost them, because I did.”Ramirez once needed a second chance; now he is helping others find theirs.
For years, it was a revolving door of prison and crime for Alfonso Ramirez.
“I was always fighting riots and stuff like that with the cops. And I stood out,” Ramirez said.
He spent 17 years in prison in all. His first offense was on Zuni Pueblo, which led to a federal prison sentence, where he eventually met Freddy Sedillo.
“When I was in prison, went to the federal system, and everything just kind of elevated itself. You know, I became a better convict. Better criminal,” Sedillo said.
Sedillo said he eventually wanted a better life for himself.
“I knew that I just wanted something better for myself. I knew that I wanted to be the best father, a grandfather that I could be, because I wasn’t a good father,” Sedillo said.
Sedillo later became a certified peer support worker for the City of Albuquerque’s Violence Intervention Program at Albuquerque Community Safety. Now, he uses that lived experience to guide others away from violence and addiction.
“I reached when I did reach out, reach out to Alfonso, and we got connected. I told him ‘let’s let’s change your life. Brotherhood is not about lying, killing and stealing. It’s about being there for each other and helping each other to succeed,’” Sedillo said.
Ramirez’s recovery was not linear, and there were setbacks along the way, including a moment involving a suicide attempt.
“I shattered my pelvis. I broke my right femur, and of course, I broke my hand,” Ramirez said. “The doctors told me that I will never walk again. But now I beat it, so I started walking again. And, I’ve been doing great ever since.”
“I just told myself that that wasn’t for me anymore. I didn’t like the feeling anymore,” Ramirez said.
ACS teams reconnected with Ramirez while he was hospitalized. Teams across Opioid Education and Prevention (OEP) and the Violence Intervention Program (VIP) worked to connect Ramirez to medication-assisted treatment through Anchor Behavioral Health.
“I did Alfonso’s intake … I remember just looking at Alfonso outside,” said Christian Alvarado, director of operations at Anchor Behavioral Health. “I could just see it in his eyes, like this dude wanted it. It’s life or death at that point. And, I told him we’re going to, you know, I’m going to take my shot at you, and I want you to really, you know, really, take advantage of this program.”
Anchor Behavioral Health is a six-month program offering sober living homes and group therapy.
“Like people like Alfonso, he utilized what he had here and took in the support and soaked it all up and, working the 12 steps for a recovery-based treatment center,” Alvarado said.
Ramirez has now gone from client to coach. He even took crews inside the home where he once found help and now helps others.
“I try to hear their side of the story, you know, what they’re going through, because everybody wants to be heard. Everybody wants to talk,” Ramirez said.
So much so, he is now headed to Boise, Idaho, to help start another branch of Anchor Behavioral Health.
“I believe you know that. They could use me. I just want to spread all the happiness and everything. I want to show everybody that they can do it. If I can do it, they can. I keep trying, I try not to give up on anybody. But some people, they’re just lost in their addiction,” Ramirez said. “I want them to get their family back if they lost them, because I did.”
Ramirez once needed a second chance; now he is helping others find theirs.