In the world of addiction recovery, stories of hope and transformation are precious. The story of Jodi, 59, and Derrick, 60, who found love and a new purpose in rehab, is one of those stories. They shared their experience to let Philadelphians that there is hope in recovery.

“We met in rehab,” Jodi recalls, a smile in her voice. For her, it was her final rehab stay: “I had been in every rehab and detox in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas maybe five times, starting at age 18.” Her last chance at recovery became the first chapter of their shared story.

Derrick landed in rehab after turning 50. He was homeless and crashing at his sister’s home, sleeping on the floor after losing everything to alcohol and substance abuse. “That night I was crying because nobody called me, nobody said happy birthday to me.”  He asked his case worker to get him help, and she delivered. The case worker took him to the rehab and stayed with him for hours waiting for Derrick to be admitted. “If she was doing this for me, I could do it for myself,” he shared.

Jodi, then 49, had hit rock bottom. “I tried to take my life twice,” she shares. “The desperation…I had burned all bridges.” It was in this darkness that Derrick’s positivity shone through. “He had very positive words, he was encouraging,” Jodi remembers. “I never heard that before.”

Their connection deepened quickly. “We got married June 26, 2015,” Derrick says proudly. But their journey wasn’t just about love – it was about faith and recovery. “Until I started living in faith, that void I had all my life and tried to fill with drugs and alcohol had never been filled. Faith healed this void,” Jodi explains. For both, their spiritual journey became the cornerstone of their recovery.

The path was not easy. “It is going to be a struggle, it is going to be hard,” they were told. But together, they persevered.  Starting in rehab, they focused on helping each other stay sober and clean.

Soon, they found and rented a room, “We slept on the floor. We had nothing, just trash bags with clothes,” Derrick remembers. “It was not a sweet journey; it was a step-by-step journey.”

Today, Jodi and Derrick have transformed their struggles into a mission of service. They started a ministry, now in its ninth year, dedicated to helping others battling substance use disorder. “We feed the homeless, we hand out Bibles, clothes, and help others getting into recovery,” Jodi explains.

From April to October, you can find them spreading a message of recovery and hope around Philadelphia.

Their story is proof of the power of love, faith, and second chances. From the depths of addiction to a life of service, Jodi and Derrick show that with support and determination, it’s possible to rewrite your story and find purpose in helping others.

Want to meet Jodi and Derrick and learn more about their journey in recovery? Check out their Prayer Warrior Ministry Schedule for 2025. 

March

  • March 12th: Ministry begins at 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Broad and Girard Ave
  • March 26th: Ministry begins at 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Broad and Girard Ave

April

  • April 9th: Ministry begins at 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Broad and Susquehanna St
  • April 23rd: Ministry begins at 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Broad and Susquehanna St

May

  • May 14th: Ministry begins at 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Broad and Lehigh Ave
  • May 28th: Ministry begins at 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Broad and Lehigh Ave

June

  • June 11th: Ministry begins at 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Broad and Allegheny Ave
  • June 25th: Ministry begins at 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Broad and Allegheny Ave

July

  • July 2nd: Ministry begins at 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Broad and Fairmount Ave
  • July 23rd (JESUS WEEK): Ministry begins at 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Broad and Fairmount Ave
  • July 30th: Ministry begins at 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Broad and Fairmount Ave

August

  • August 13th: Ministry begins at 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Broad and Spring Garden St
  • August 27th: Ministry begins at 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Broad and Spring Garden St

September

  • September 10th:Ministry begins at 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at City Hall (Broad and Jfk Blvd)
  • September 24th: Ministry begins at 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Broad and South Street

October

  • October 8th: Ministry begins at 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Broad and Washington Ave
  • October 22nd (Final outing for 2025): Ministry begins at 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Broad and Snyder Street

If you or someone you love are struggling with addiction, help is available.

Emergency

Call 988 if you are in a substance abuse or mental health crisis.

If you suspect or know that someone has overdosed with opioids, call 911 immediately.

Non-emergency help:

Call Community Behavioral Health at 888-545-2600 for Medicaid-funded substance abuse treatment.

Find your local Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous.

If your loved one is using opioids

Learn about Narcan: If you know or think that a loved-one is using opioid, learn where to get and how to use naloxone (Narcan®).

AL-ANON: If a loved one is struggling with addiction, consider seeking peer support at AL-ANON.