Shane's Story

Shane Garrard has battled some incredible trials and struggles, personally and alongside family and friends; endured insurmountable pain, loss & hardships, and slayed some pretty scary personal demons. Through it all, Shane has grown LEAPS & BOUNDS in wisdom and knowledge.

One of the many beautiful things about Shane is how he selflessly pours back into others by empathetically and compassionately helping numerous people and their families navigate the rocky roads of addiction and recovery. Simultaneously, he has helped teach countless therapists and other professionals how to be an effective force of positive change in others lives. All the while Shane has never stopped progressing personally. With his wife, Nicole, by his side, Shane has learned the importance of accepting God's Will in his life and relying on Him to direct his steps and leaning on Him to help keep his pace steady through his journey in life. Shane celebrated 19 years clean on May 1, 2020!

He began his career and found his purpose as the night man at a treatment center in the Mississippi Delta and last year became the Bureau Director of Alcohol and Drug Services for the entire state of Mississippi where he has worked tirelessly to make positive change for our state. Excited to begin this new chapter with his wife, Nicole, Shane moved to Jackson, MS in March, 2020. He soon became very ill and required emergency surgery. During the procedure doctors discovered that Shane had stage 4 metastatic lung cancer. Naturally, this was very shocking news for Shane and Nicole.

Not accepting the initial limited prognosis, Shane and Nicole have sought opinions from various medical professionals to explore the best treatments possible. Thus far, they have encountered some setbacks and disappointments, yet they refuse to give up! Shane continues to work as much as possible. As he is battling a disease that is trying to kill him, he still answers personal phone calls from families in need. He is still working to strengthen the fight against addictions in Mississippi and to aid treatment providers to serve in the best ways possible.