COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — Rob Decker, co-founder of Recovery Rebels softball and the non-profit Rise as Lions, is the latest winner of the News 5 Lighthouse Award for his work helping people navigate addiction and mental health recovery in southern Colorado.
Decker and Donzell Hampton founded the Recovery Rebels to create a fun and sober environment where healing is possible. The team is made up of people pushing each other forward in their recovery journeys, as well as their family members and friends.
"There's something about the team dynamic, especially if you grow up playing sports, you understand how important having teammates is and showing up for each other and fighting the good fight for each win or loss," said Decker.
"We're about faith, community, second chances," said Hampton. "Some people like being in a room for hours talking about sobriety, but I'd rather be out here on the field fellowshipping with brothers and sisters."
The softball group is part of Decker's larger non-profit, Rise as Lions, which provides outreach and support to anyone facing addiction, trauma, or thoughts of suicide.
"Rise as Lions was actually a play off of resurrect like Christ," said Decker. "So for me it was about redemption and resurrection."
Decker's own story is full of redemption. He was addicted to drugs and alcohol for 20 years and has been sober for 13 years.
He even attempted to take his own life in 2007 by jumping from the third story of a building. An awning below broke his fall, which he writes about in his book "God's Awning."
Decker is vulnerable and transparent with his story, hoping to use it to encourage others to get help.
"The hope is that the more we talk about it, the more aware we are with it, that people will come forward and start talking about it so they can start their own process of healing," said Decker.
It is the kind of selfless action to make a community better that we like to honor with the News 5 Lighthouse Award.
"We don't do this work, whether it's the mental health or recovery or showing up for people to get the awards, but just to see that some of the work has been recognized in the community I think is really important," said Decker.
The Recovery Rebels have four softball teams right now, including a co-ed team, two men's teams and a military team. They will host a mental health recovery tournament on May 30 at Leon Young Park in Colorado Springs.
If you or someone you know is in crisis right now, call or text the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. A trained counselor will answer your call 24-7 to get you the help you need.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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