GOD STORIES 48 JULY 2026 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition I met Anthony about 7 years ago, and from the moment I met him, I said, “I love this guy.” He’s a big guy with a huge heart. I have yet to meet anyone who doesn’t love Anthony. But the Anthony people meet today is not the Anthony people met years ago. His story is incredible, and I knew months ago that it needed to be shared. Again, his story is a reminder that addiction doesn’t discriminate and that no body is beyond the reach of God’s grace and redemption. Anthony Acampora grew up in a traditional middle-class family in Connecticut. Like many children in the Northeast, he attended Catholic school and church, but faith was more obligation than relationship. At twenty, he moved first to Long Island and later to New York City. Ambitious and gifted in loss prevention, he rose through the ranks and eventually became Director of Loss Prevention for a major national retailer. His success eventually brought him to California, where the company’s headquarters were located. From the outside, Anthony appeared confident and accomplished. But beneath the surface, a struggle was growing. Though he had long been a heavy drinker, he convinced himself it was under control because his career continued to thrive. That changed in late 2004 when new executives stripped away much of the authority he and his boss once had. Months of corporate conflict, tension and uncertainty left him emotionally drained. Early success In January 2005, Anthony moved to Florida and launched a security consulting business, hoping for a fresh start. What he did not realize was that God had something greater in store. On March 6, 2005, Anthony visited Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale. During the service, repeated invitations were given to surrender to Christ. After resisting several times, he finally walked forward and accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. His life changed dramatically. Drinking, womanizing and constant profanity began to lose their hold. The following night, he experienced an overwhelming encounter with the Holy Spirit and, for the first time, knew Jesus as real and personal. Church replaced bars. He immersed himself in services, Bible studies and classes, hungry for God’s Word and fellowship. He was on fire for the Lord. But redemption is rarely a straight path. Unraveling In January 2006, a former colleague revealed details about the corporate conflict in California. Anthony learned of betrayal, the lies, manipulation and decisions that had deeply affected his life and career. The news reopened old wounds, and anger and resentment consumed him. Sleep disappeared, and depression and anxiety gradually took over. Over the next seven years, his life unraveled. He returned to drinking, and gambling became another destructive escape. Shame and hopelessness deepened, affecting both him and those who loved him. Eventually, his sister could no longer allow him to stay in her home. Anthony had reached rock bottom. Homeless, exhausted, and overwhelmed by depression, anxiety, addiction and chronic sleep deprivation, he no longer wanted relief—he wanted his life to end. With one bottle of Klonopin already in hand, he set out to obtain another, intending to overdose. But God intervened. As Anthony backed out of the driveway, he suddenly became unable to move. He could not turn his head or press the gas pedal. For several terrifying minutes, he sat completely immobilized. In that moment, he knew God was stopping him from making a permanent decision in the midst of overwhelming pain. When he regained movement, he called his other sister. Healing Anthony was admitted to a hospital in Naples, Florida, where a doctor told him about a faith-based shelter and recovery program called Justin’s Place. Though years of addiction and resentment had battered his faith, he still had a mustard seed. And it was enough. At the shelter, Anthony finally faced the pain he had spent years trying to escape. Broken and without pretense, he cried out to God. Once again, the Lord met him there. God began healing his heart and gave him the strength to forgive those who had hurt him. The past no longer controlled his future, and his relationship with God was restored. The same God who had met him at Calvary Chapel met him again in complete brokenness. Out of that pain came a new purpose. Purpose Because he had experienced desperation and hopelessness firsthand, Anthony could reach others walking through the same darkness. He became an advocate through media platforms and service on behavioral health nonprofit boards, using his testimony to remind people that no life is beyond God’s grace. In 2015, he partnered with Banyan Treatment Centers founder Joe Tuttle to launch Faith in Recovery, a program addressing healing of body, mind and spirit. He later earned a master’s degree in ministry and authored three faith-based books to encourage those struggling with addiction, mental health challenges, shame and spiritual emptiness. Since its launch, nearly 18,000 clients have completed Faith in Recovery. Many have been baptized, restored in their faith and introduced to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Behind every number is a life, and behind every life is a testimony that hope can return. Today, Anthony serves as National Director of Faith-Based Services and Chaplain at Banyan Treatment Centers. He also co-hosts the God Talk Podcast with Monika Tuttle and writes and speaks nationally. Yet he has never forgotten where he came from. He remembers the driveway, the pills, the hospital room, the shelter and the tiny mustard seed of faith that remained when almost everything else was gone. Anthony gives all the glory to God. He remains amazed that the Lord could redeem a life marked by betrayal, addiction, depression, anxiety and hopelessness and turn it into a ministry of hope. His story is proof that rock bottom does not have to be the end. Sometimes it is where surrender begins. And sometimes, when hope seems gone, God writes a new ending. Recovery United is a 501C3 donor-funded nonprofit that provides free, confidential guidance and support to individuals and families facing addiction. We walk with and help people understand what to do next and connect them with trusted resources, which may include detox, treatment programs, intervention support, counseling and ongoing follow-up. Recovery United is not a treatment center, brokerage service or crisis hotline. We do not accept referral fees or allow financial incentives to influence our recommendations. Our goal is to be a safe, trusted resource that walks alongside families from the first phone call through placement and beyond. Our website is currently under construction but please feel free to submit an inquiry at recoveryunited.com if you or a loved one is need of help. - Antony Tchividjian - President, Recovery United, and Director, Calvary House When Hope Seemed Lost: Anthony’s Journey of Redemption Anthony Before and After
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