My name is Daniel Smith and I would like to share with you a bit about my journey. I started swimming when I was 5 and absolutely loved it. From such a young age I knew that this was my destiny and won countless amounts of gold medals, broke numerous Australian records and was lucky enough to be compared to Ian Thorpe.

Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse quickly when I got an injury at the age of 17. Because my life had been so consumed with swimming, I now had an emptiness I needed to fill. I started binge drinking, partying and getting involved with the wrong crowd. One night I made the decision to drink-drive and flipped my car (with 2 of my best mates at that time) into a house with one of my wheels coming off, flying over the house and landing in the backyard pool. We should have been killed however we had miraculously survived.

After that, I was too embarrassed and ashamed to go back to swimming. I started smoking pot. With my addictive personality, one thing leads to another. Before I knew it I was doing ice, which destroyed every area of my life – family, friends, health, finances. I tried numerous rehabs but they never worked. I ended up becoming homeless and did whatever it took to support my addiction. I also suffered from anger, anxiety and depression.

I eventually hit rock bottom and decided it was time to seriously do something about my problem. A friend recommended me to Transformations and they accepted me for how I was.

Through the therapeutic community, I was challenged in my behaviours through the rules and actually having to work for my recovery. It was the simple daily disciplines that helped me get back on track. Through group therapy, I was able to share what I had been through. This helped me a lot with being able to hear from others knowing that they had been through similar experiences. I use to hide from conflict and avoid having to deal with it, which lead me to my addictions. The program helped me be able to deal with what was actually going on for me. The first part of the program helped me with the anger and resentment I had towards myself and others.

Transformations made me realise that I do have a purpose again.

I got back my drive and determination to be a successful athlete. I am now back swimming doing what I love. In 2015, I made my first Australian team to compete at the World Championships in Russia where I got a bronze medal. In 2016, I was able to fulfil my life-long dream of competing at the Rio Olympics, where I came home with 4th place. My true transformation came from having an encounter with God. From that day my life has never been the same and I have not turned back to drugs once. Where I once had anger, I now have peace. Where I had depression, I now have joy. My relationship with my family has now been restored. I now have friends that care about me. I’m now 6 years clean.

There is no turning back for me and I’m so thankful for Transformations.