Once caught in a cycle of addiction and silence, two former inmates are now on a mission to help others break free.

They’re sharing their stories to confront stigma and inspire young people to speak up about trauma.

For Tristan Pitt-Ware, the path to addiction began at just 13, triggered by childhood trauma and reinforced by the people he looked up to.

As the addiction worsened, Pitt-Ware said he avoided family functions, disconnected from his culture, and felt shame every day.

“It was brought to me in my school, and many of my friends who attended those lectures never touched drugs. But for me, I had friends who I thought were the cool people and looked up to just like what Ian said about his relatives. They were involved in drugs and alcohol.”

Pitt-Ware eventually committed crimes to support his drug habit and was sentenced to three and a half years in prison.

Ian Tapa’atoutai shares a similar journey, growing up in a faith-based home, he struggled to balance cultural expectations with life in a Western environment, eventually turning to drugs and alcohol to numb his emotions.

The addiction led him down a destructive path, abandoning his football career, losing his connection with family, and committing crimes to fund his habit.

He was caught trying to import cocaine and was jailed for four years.

“So, as I started getting into high school and experiencing a bit more, being around Western culture, I began to rebel against many of the traditional values. From being silent and ashamed to speak, I turned to alcohol and drugs to escape my emotions, which at the time felt like an amazing relief.”

Now in recovery, Tapaatoutai faces a new challenge, watching his 18-year-old son show early signs of addiction, a painful reminder of the past he’s trying to help others avoid.

Both men say addiction thrives in silence, but recovery begins by speaking up.

Through Narcotics Anonymous, they now help others find their voice and their way back.

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