Darby’s Story
This page is dedicated to honoring the legacy of Darby and for raising awareness about substance abuse and addiction among our vulnerable teens, and inspiring behavior changes leading to healthy and happy lives.
Meet Frank
Frank Hoetker serves Daybreak as a Life Skills Mentor for teens-in-treatment struggling with substance abuse, social/peer pressures, and mental health challenges affecting their young lives. In his vital role, he draws upon his exhausting experience as a loving father who witnessed first-hand for 15 heart-breaking years his son, Darby, battle his severe addiction until he fatally overdosed in 1998. Frank has made it his life’s mission to share Darby’s Story as Darby’s Spiritual Messenger to raise consciousness about behaviors that can spur experimentation with substances opening pitfalls into addiction. In the past 20+ years, he has delivered more than 600 testimonials in treatment centers, schools, and a variety of other venues, reaching thousands of teens, concerned parents, adults-in-recovery, and others who are affected by the plague of substance abuse. Many affirmations, verbal and written, from those having heard Darby’s Story attest to the power of the message and motivation to transform and even save lives.
“With Faith, Hope, and Love, each day, duty calls to awaken our teens and everyone else about the terrible ravages and consequences of substance abuse,” says Frank. “In my son Darby’s name, I am privileged and driven to inspire teens to stay far away from harmful substances and lifestyles that can ruin their lives, and wishfully change the direction of our precious youth to embrace and enjoy a clean and sober quality of life, benefitting themselves, their caring families, and friends.”
We are honored to have Frank on our team and share his son Darby’s Story. Note that the video runs 97 minutes, with a discretionary self-pause at 48:33.
