Jared Gordon is a fighter in more ways than one. He's a UFC lightweight and a recovering drug addict fighting to live a sober lifestyle.
Before UFC Fight Night this past weekend, Gordon teamed up with The Phoenix in Denver to lead a boxing class.
"I've been sober for a little over eight and a half years," Gordon said. "I was fighting throughout that whole time and I realized that I can use my platform to help others, and here I am.”
The Phoenix is a sober active community that provides free fitness classes and social events for anyone impacted by substance abuse. Gavin Young, the Phoenix's director of external relations, is passionate about his work.
“Programming can look like a boxing class, a run club, a music event, board game night, anything where individuals are participating in community with other individuals," Young explained. "We feel like that is such an important thing to help bolster community because we feel like the opposite of addiction is connection."
Knowing how it feels to suffer in silence, Gordon hopes his story of overcoming addiction and homelessness inspires others to want to make a change.
“I suffered so much, and I've seen people lose their lives and affect everyone else around them, and I just came to a point where I couldn't do it anymore, and I didn't want anyone else to have to go through what I went through," Gordon said. "I get people that contact me from all different countries and states and I feel like this is why God put me here."
Since 2006, The Phoenix has served half a million people on the path to recovery.
“We know that this is working in people's lives," Young said.
People can visit ThePhoenix.org or download The Phoenix app on a smartphone for more information.
"It's never too late," Gordon said. "You just have to have faith, take suggestions, work hard, and persevere, and if you're doing the right thing, good things usually happen.”