Recently, one of our fathers in the program shared his journey of how he and his family ended up at Solutions for Change. Burim and our Executive Vice President, Dennis Bone, appeared on KUSI to provide insight into our program: KUSI Highlights Solutions for Change and Burim's story
The following is Burim's full interview:
For most of his life, Burim thought the crime and addiction around him was normal.
Growing up in City Heights after immigrating to the United States from Albania with his parents and three siblings, he learned early on how to survive. While his parents worked hard to provide for their children, Burim often found himself looking for acceptance and belonging elsewhere.
“I was just hanging out in the streets and just running them up with bad friends and doing things that I wasn't supposed to do. And this started very young, actually, like, started in elementary school…I was running around with the kids in the streets and getting in trouble with the cops… even around that time, I was sponsored and playing tennis [in school]. I was doing good in tennis. But again, when I was done with tennis, I would come home and I'd be around the kids that I didn't need to be around and got into trouble. And slowly but surely I separated myself from the things that I needed to do, like being in sports and staying in school and just started hanging around more with the kids that were on the streets doing bad stuff.”
As a child, he excelled in school, but outside of school, he spent time with older kids and adults who introduced him to a lifestyle that would eventually lead to addiction, crime, and repeated trips to jail.
“Even from like a young age, I knew what drugs were all about. It was just a matter of time when I was gonna use them… I was seeking, I guess, approval, trying to be like them, and I was never really hanging around kids my age. I was always hanging around kids that were older…kind of scary for me to do it, now that I think about it, but it felt normal because everybody was doing it, and I just got immune to that lifestyle and I didn't really think my life was going to be any different, to be honest. I thought whatever they were doing was just how life was gonna be, you know?”
Over time, that life became all he knew.
Then he met Erica.
The two fell in love and built a life together, but addiction and crime followed them into their relationship. Their struggles created instability and heartache, affecting not only themselves, but also Erica's daughter, Leona.
For years, Burim found himself trapped in a cycle he couldn't escape.
Everything changed when he became a father.
A Reason to Fight
When Burim's son Vincent was born, something shifted inside him.
For the first time, he began imagining a different future - one where he was present, dependable, and actively involved in his children's lives.
Burim and Erica eventually entered recovery and began rebuilding their lives. They found stable employment, secured housing, and started creating the kind of family life they had always wanted.
But recovery isn't always a straight path. After more than a year of sobriety, both relapsed.
The consequences were devastating. The stability they had worked so hard to build disappeared.
“We lost the house. We lost our jobs. Slowly but surely, we were just falling right back in the hole again. I think it was a lot worse this time because we got clean and sober and we had things that we built in our recovery. We got clean the first time, and it just hit a little more differently - having already gone through a program and relapsing…a lot of guilt came, a lot of shame. Losing everything, all at one time, it was pretty horrible.”
Soon after, Burim found himself facing another jail sentence. “With a background of repeated offenses, he had no choice but to go to jail.
“My background kind of caught up to me at this time…normally I would just run until they can catch me, you know.”
This time, however, things were different.
“It was more because of the kids. I didn't want to, like, be out of my son's life while I was in jail…I was like, I'm going to just do what I got to do and get this over with and, you know, this too shall pass…all I could think about was the family and the kids suffering, being on the streets or whatever the case might be, not providing the attention they needed or just not being there at all, you know? And the time I went in, it was when my son was a year old, it was like the best time to be there for a kid - to help them start learning how to walk or talk or just watching them grow.”
Learning to Become the Father His Children Needed
During eight months in jail, Burim spent countless hours thinking about his family. Instead of simply waiting for his release, he decided to use the time to grow. He enrolled in parenting classes, communication courses, anger management programs, and educational opportunities. He worked toward earning his GED and completed vocational certifications through work programs.
“I was just trying to make my time productive instead of just sitting in jail and rotting away…”
For the first time, he wasn't pursuing recovery because someone else expected him to. He wanted it for himself. More importantly, he wanted it for his children.
While Burim was in jail, Erica entered recovery with their children and eventually found Solutions for Change.
That decision would become a turning point for their entire family.
A Second Chance
After his release, Erica asked Burim to join her and the kids at Solutions for Change. He learned about the program and was immediately drawn to its long-term approach.
Unlike short-term programs he had experienced in the past, Solutions for Change offered something different: accountability, therapy, parenting support, career development, housing, and the time necessary to create lasting change.
When he first applied, he wasn't accepted.
During his initial screening, Burim struggled to be fully honest about his past.
Rather than giving up, he took responsibility.
He entered a residential treatment program, committed himself to recovery, and continued doing the work. When he was given another opportunity to interview, he approached it differently.
"I told them everything," he said. "I was ready to be completely honest."
That willingness to be accountable opened the door to a second chance.
Today, Burim is 60 days into the Solutions for Change first stage, the Housing & Recovery program, while continuing to rebuild relationships with Erica, Vincent, and Leona.
“When I came here, I was excited…2-year program, I think it's perfect for both of us to work on each other, work on our relationship, work on being there for the kids and everything that Solutions provides. I was just eager and excited to be here and join them and be with the family again, being able to do it with them together.”
Rebuilding Trust
One of the most meaningful parts of Burim's journey so far has been repairing his relationship with his family.
Because of the experiences she witnessed during his addiction, his step-daughter, Leona, understandably struggled to trust him. Burim doesn't blame her. Instead, he has learned that trust isn't something that can be demanded - it has to be earned.
Today, he spends dedicated time with his children each week, participates in family therapy, attends recovery meetings, works closely with a sponsor, and continues pursuing his educational goals.
Most importantly, he is learning how to show up consistently as a father.
“As much as it is for me to get better, I need to balance my recovery and being a father…[this program] helps me build patience and be responsible and just doing what I have to do to stay clean and sober so I can be a good father.”
Looking Ahead
When asked what he wants for the future, Burim's answer is simple. He wants stability. A home for his family. A meaningful career. Strong relationships with his children. A life built on honesty, responsibility, and sobriety.
“The success rate that I've heard about Solutions for Change is amazing and that's what motivated me to want to come here and complete this program…Erica's in a different phase of the program…she's doing what she has to do in her program and her recovery, and I'm doing the same in mine. At the same time, we're kind of doing it together because we're here as a couple and we're working on our program and working on our relationship and working on the family and things are going great. I'm excited. It's awesome. I still have a long journey ahead of me, but I'm here till the end.”
Today, Burim knows that the future won't be built overnight. It will be built one day, one choice, and one act of consistency at a time. For the first time in a long time, he isn't running from responsibility, he's embracing it.
And for his family, that's changing everything.
“I don't want a four-story house or anything crazy like that. You know, I just want to have a normal life, buy a house, make sure the kids are taken care of. Make sure they have a roof over their head, have all their needs met. And mainly, my relationship with Erica and the kids and the family, make sure that's strong again.”
Burim hopes that by sharing his story, he can show others what is possible, to inspire families in similar situations to follow the same path.
“I'm grateful for this program, so I try to do whatever I can to help out and be of service, not just for myself, but to maybe help out another family and show them what I'm doing and hopefully they will want to do the same thing and change their life…getting their kids back or being with their family…get sober and have a happy life.”
To support families like Burim's, make a donation or volunteer at Solutions for Change here: Take Action | Solutions For Change