From hopelessness to hopefulness: TJ Pellerin’s story

By Joan Janzen

Village of Hope in Eston will soon be celebrating its first graduation in 2024. After chatting with the upcoming graduate, TJ Pellerin, you will appreciate how far he has progressed on his journey from addiction to freedom.

“I really believe the Village of Hope has saved my life,” TJ said about the drug and alcohol regeneration facility in Eston. It offers a Christian-based program to help men of all ages overcome addictions.

TJ Pellerin

TJ Pellerin will be the first graduate at the Village of Hope in Eston. During the course of the 10-month program, TJ and the other men who are in the program have grown close and become a brotherhood. Photos by Jesse Adams Studios

TJ lived in Texas before residing in Pennsylvania for fourteen years. “I have an 11-year-old daughter in Pennsylvania. A lot of things happened when she was born. I was in a bad financial situation, and I used that as an excuse,” he explained. “I sold drugs and then got caught. This led me to getting deported from the States.”

He then landed in Calgary. “I was locked up in Calgary for two years, but when I got free, I wasn’t really free,” he admitted. “I was homeless in Calgary and reached my rock bottom in December of last year when I overdosed. I smoked fentanyl because I ran out of what I had.”

It took the paramedics four tries to revive TJ. He woke up to discover his truck had been impounded, and his phone had been stolen. “I wandered the streets before my Aunt Michelle from Kindersley picked me up and took me to Kindersley, where I got detoxed.”

At that time, she gave him an ultimatum - return to Calgary or go to the Village of Hope. “It was an immediate decision; I didn’t know what I was getting myself into,” he admitted.

Not only was the Village of Hope new to TJ, but it was also new to the town of Eston. “I was the first guy to come into the program,” he said. “There’s been thirteen guys who have come in since then.”

TJ had been through other programs before that hadn’t worked for him but discovered the one at Eston was different. “They really get down to the why of addictions, and that’s where the inner healing comes from,” he explained. “Those moments when you felt rejected, abandoned, abused - those are the moments we examine and realize where things went wrong in our lives.”

Things began to go wrong for TJ when he moved around a lot as a kid and never really acquired life-long friends. After high school he tried to fit in by doing drugs, but it wasn’t the best crowd to be around.

During class time, the staff addressed the patterns they saw operating in TJ’s life, things he didn’t necessarily recognize about himself. “There’s a lot more accountability here,” he said. “I used the victim card for a long time to project my problems, and not realize most of this was my fault.”

Although most of his problems may have been his own fault, he was not alone in overcoming them. The most critical time of TJ’s day begins after breakfast, during a half-hour of quiet time when he spends time with God, his most powerful advocate and helper.

And twice a day, the men check up on each other. “It’s there if you want to share what’s going on in your heart,” he said. It’s also an opportunity for the men to pray for one another. “It leads to healing and a better attitude. The one on one is vital. We have good conversations that literally helped keep me in this program.”

Entering the doors of Village of Hope was a drastic culture shock for TJ; however, now he admits, “I can honestly say this is home for me, and it feels like family.”

Just like in any family, there’s also work involved at the Eston facility. Everyone is assigned a different job … in the kitchen, as part of the landscape crew, or construction or custodial duties. They also work with local businesses and community organizations.

“We have more work than class time because it builds character, discipline and skills that carry on after the program,” he said. The Village of Hope’s bakery has become a popular go-to spot for local residents and offers training opportunities for the men.

They also connect with the community during their sports nights, and on Sundays, they join a community church service. “I’ve never experienced this before in my life - how much people care,” TJ said. “I’ve eaten some of the best food since I’ve been here. I didn’t gain weight for no reason.”

Besides gaining weight, TJ gained a new purpose in life. “After my third month in the program, I decided I wanted to stay on. So I’m dedicating at least the next year to this place,” he said, which will involve taking some leadership training.

“This program’s not easy, but if you want to change, it starts with surrender. What’s ten months to change your life forever?” TJ asked. He was committed to doing whatever was required to be free of addiction. Why? Because, he confesses, “Without God and placing me here, I wouldn’t be alive.”

The Village of Hope is appropriately named because it brought TJ from hopelessness to hopefulness and a bright future.