Randy Cox, 41, was born in Colorado Springs, CO. After settling in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, Randy stood out early as an honor roll student and athlete, even earning the Golden Apple Award, an honor given to one student each year. But at 17, curiosity turned into chaos when he began experimenting with Adderall, THC, and alcohol. What started as fun quickly became the beginning of a long battle with addiction.
Over the years, Randy went through seven treatment centers, multiple psychiatric hospitals, and countless sober living homes where he could blend in and stay out of trouble—but not actually change. Those were just time-outs from using, not real recovery. He learned the hard way that unless something shifts internally—how you face struggles, how you see yourself—relapse always feels like the best option. It took complete surrender to finally break that cycle.
There were moments when things got unbearable. A few stints in “Motel Ford F-150” and a few nights in “Hotel Chevrolet Malibu” became home when there was nowhere else to go. One Christmas, his mom sent him a coat instead of money after he called from Lubbock, Texas, where he’d spent several nights homeless with snow on the ground. He still has that same blue coat today. It’s a reminder of where he’s been—and what he never wants to return to.
After a suicide attempt and one last treatment center, Randy entered a highly structured sober living program. It was there that he stopped trying to control everything and started following direction.
His past was full of wreckage—literally. He totaled five cars and became uninsurable. His credit score hit 495 by age 30, after treating loans and credit cards like a personal piggy bank. But sobriety transformed everything. In his first year clean, he bought his first car entirely on his own. By 2021, he became a homeowner—something he once believed was impossible.
Today, Randy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Integrated Studies from the University of North Texas, focusing on psychology and rehabilitation. He’s served nearly a decade as COO and Program Director of a sober living community, helping others rebuild their lives through structure, faith, and purpose. He’s also set to earn full LCDC licensure in the first half of 2026.
Randy often says addiction isn’t about the drugs—it’s about the shame, guilt, low self-esteem, and the hundred forms of fear that drive people to seek relief. “Alcohol and drugs were how we made peace with the world,” he says. Now, he stays in touch not only with current residents but with families and men who left the program five or even ten years ago. Those long-term connections are the real proof of change.
These days, Randy finds balance in faith, family, helping others and in reminding people that no matter how far you’ve fallen, it’s never too late to turn the story around.