Upland recovery services holds graduation

Danny Medina, 26 of Ontario, rides his bike to Chino every morning, often getting chased by dogs, so he can carpool to work in Torrence.

This is something Medina said he could never do, if he didn't seek treatment six months ago for his addiction to Heroin and Alcohol.

"I want my daughter to grow up saying 'my daddy is a good man," Medina said. "So I'm doing everything I can."

Medina graduated from the Inland Valley Recovery Services Wednesday night and was named "Men's Residential" graduate of the year.

"I was sick and tired of being sick and tired," Medina said. "I went to prison and was not doing what I wanted to do. I was tired of hearing the guy with the badge in prison telling me what to do at what time. I want to do what I want to do."

Medina's fiance Lannette Leyva, friends and supporters cheered and shouted for him when he was receiving his award.

After an emotional speech, Medina's two year-old daughter Uriajh, ran up to the stage to hug her father.

"It's a beautiful journey, it's a struggle, it's a hard journey," he said. "But with my friends that I have today I can do it. It's an awesome journey. There's hoops and loops and mountains I have to climb, but I'm doing it."

Nearly 40 Inland Valley Recovery Services clients graduated with Medina at the Grove Theatre Wednesday night.

This is the one public event the Upland-based organization holds every year.

"It is very confidential and we talk about anonymity and it's kept quite," said Stacy Smith, executive director of IVRS. "It's a very personal experience, so we just share once a year what we do here at the graduation and I'm really proud of all of them."