Born in Connecticut to Cambodian immigrant parents who were sponsored by missionaries to escape the devastating genocide in Cambodia, Ves’s early life was shaped by resilience and survival. His family’s journey to America during one of history’s darkest chapters instilled in him an understanding of both trauma and hope.

Ves spent most of his childhood in Upstate Western New York before eventually settling in California for much of his adult life. But despite his family’s strength and his own potential, Ves began struggling with addiction at the young age of 13.

A Long Road of Attempts and Relapses

“I started using at the age of 13, started my journey in recovery around 2018, but was never able to stay clean as relapse is part of my story,” Ves reflects honestly. For years, he cycled through periods of hope and disappointment, trying to find lasting recovery but unable to break free from the grip of addiction.

The pattern continued for years until March 25th, 2025, when everything changed. “I finally hit my spiritual bottom after a long and intense relapse where I ended up checking into the Bluffs. This was the best thing to ever happen to me.”

Diving Headfirst into Recovery

Unlike his previous attempts at getting clean, this time Ves approached recovery with complete commitment. “During my time at the Bluffs, I dove in headfirst, took the program seriously and kept an open mind. I was able to explore myself through group and individual therapy along with additional groups that helped me get to where I am today.”

The results of this total surrender were transformative. “I am just over 120 days clean, have a solid program and a connection to myself and others I couldn’t have imagined.”

Finding Connection Through Music

One of the most meaningful connections Ves made during his time at The Bluffs was with a fellow patient, Carl. Both men shared not only the experience of recovery but also a love of music that would eventually bring them together in a powerful way.

“The idea for our song started naturally,” Ves explains. “Carl, who became a close friend in the Bluffs and remains one outside, told me he wanted to write a song. We’d hang out, and share stories. We wrote the song together, inspired by everything we experienced around the Bluffs.”

The creative process happened organically, flowing from their shared experience and mutual understanding. “He essentially had an idea, put the lyrics down and I put a melody and guitar riff to it. It happened quickly and I think because of our connection, felt right instantly.”

A Special Performance

The true magic happened when Ves and Carl were invited back to The Bluffs to perform their original song at the Mental Health Awareness and Recovery Celebration Concert. “After we got out of the Bluffs we were invited to come back, and a fundraiser event called the Mental Health Awareness and Recovery Concert in partnership with the Soul Singer foundation.”

“Carl and I were able to sing our song for the folks in attendance. It was really special. I think the best part was seeing fellow alumni who were at The Bluffs the same time as us singing along. Doesn’t get much better than that.”

A New Chapter Begins

For Ves, recovery has meant more than just getting clean. It’s meant rediscovering himself and his passions. Music, which had been part of his life before addiction took over, has now become a tool for healing and connection.

His collaboration with Carl represents the power of the relationships formed in treatment and how they can continue to support recovery long after leaving the facility. Together, they’ve created something beautiful from their shared experience of pain and healing.

A Message of Hope

Ves’s story is particularly powerful because it demonstrates that recovery is possible even after years of struggle and multiple relapses. His journey from a 13-year-old beginning to use substances to a man with over 120 days of solid recovery shows that it’s never too late to find a different path.

“The connection I have to myself and others now, I couldn’t have imagined it before,” Ves says. “The Bluffs gave me the tools and the community to finally break the cycle.”

For those who have tried recovery before and relapsed, Ves’s message is one of hope: “Relapse was part of my story, but it doesn’t have to be the end of my story. Sometimes it takes hitting that spiritual bottom to finally surrender completely. Don’t give up. Your recovery is waiting for you.”