Addiction doesn’t play fair. It steals dreams, shatters families, and leaves people gasping for air in the middle of their own lives. It doesn’t care if you’re the kid with a college scholarship, the athlete with Olympic potential, or the son or daughter everyone thought would “make it.” It drags you down fast and doesn’t let go. For years, Taylor Wilson was caught in that undertow. Today, he’s the one pulling others out.

Once a Junior Olympic hockey player with everything ahead of him, Taylor’s life derailed after an injury led to painkillers. What started with prescriptions spiraled into opiates, stripping away years of his life. “I didn’t want to die, but I didn’t care to live,” Taylor admits. Between the ages of 16 and 28, he cycled through addiction, lost jobs, and broken trust, until the day came when he saw his future reflected in an older addict stuck in the same destructive loop. That moment hit like a lightning strike. On May 11, 2012, he made the decision to get clean and he never looked back.

Thirteen years later, Taylor is not just sober, he is the founder and driving force behind Active Recovery Companions, a company that helps others reclaim their lives when rehab ends and the real fight begins. His years working in treatment centers in Los Angeles and Malibu revealed a brutal truth: recovery doesn’t hinge on what happens inside a controlled environment. The real battle starts after, when clients return home to stress and temptation. “Rehab is a controlled environment. The real challenge comes at home, when life happens and old triggers resurface,” he says. Active Recovery Companions steps into that gap.

The company offers live-in and hourly coaching, case management, crisis intervention, and sober transport. But the real value isn’t in the services; it’s in the support. Coaches don’t hover on the sidelines; they walk alongside clients in the messy, everyday reality of early recovery. The goal is simple but powerful: not to create dependence, but to help people find freedom. The best news? It works.

For Taylor, recovery is much more than staying sober. It’s about rediscovering passions, finding purpose, and building a new identity that leaves no space for relapse. Surfing and jiu-jitsu played a huge role in his own healing, and he encourages clients to explore their own outlets. “We help people find their tribe,” Taylor says. “We are not here to insert ourselves forever. We are here to work ourselves out of a job by helping clients build their own support networks.”

Families see the difference firsthand.

“Without Taylor's commitment, guidance, and intervention, my son would not be in the good place he is today. Taylor exercised just the right amount of balance in recreating healthy boundaries for my son to be able to transition in(to). His knowledge and experience made him credible, and his good nature made him easy to like. I would not hesitate for one second to recommend Active Recovery.  They excel at what they do and give hope in what may seem to be a hopeless and challenging place for families.”

-Mimi C

“On two separate occasions, Active Recovery has 'come to the rescue', to help with the transport and relocation of a family member from one psychiatric facility to another.  Both incidents required extensive travel, over state lines, while our family member was not yet stable and still heavily medicated.Taylor stayed with us, either in a hotel, or one or more of our homes, for multiple days, during times that were not only stressful, but also extremely private & sensitive in nature.  It didn't take long to realize Taylor is a true pro at what he does. He maintained a calm demeanor throughout these tenuous times and was insightful about how we might handle different situations, not just during the crises, but also going forward, into the future. There's no doubt he respects our family's privacy, and exhibited a genuine sensitivity and concern for the well-being and ultimate recovery of our family member, and how the circumstances were impacting the rest of the family.  I trust Active Recovery Companions implicitly, including but not limited to trusting them with my life, and any of my family members' lives, but also with all our 'things', and driving our vehicles. More importantly, I trust that our privacy will be maintained forever and ever. Taylor is a one in a million decent guy, whom I cannot recommend highly enough to help out in a crisis.

I wish you and your family all the best through the situation you're dealing with, requiring Active Recovery services.  I can assure you, you can't go wrong hiring them, they’ll set your mind at ease, and will bring calm to the storm, making you realize it was one of the best decisions you made during one of life's most challenging times facing you and your family.”

-Adrienne K.

The results speak louder than just empty promises. Active Recovery Companions has implemented an innovative process that drives real results. While traditional rehabs often cost more than $100,000 a month with relapse rates that remain painfully high, Active Recovery Companions reports a 90% success rate past the first year for clients who commit to the process. With hubs in California, Florida, New York, Massachusetts, and Texas, the company is helping families across the country rewrite the script of addiction.

Taylor isn’t shy about his vision. “I want us to be the gold standard for recovery coaching in the country.” This isn’t about making money off people in pain. This is about making sure that this is the last time someone has to reach out to end addiction.

Taylor has a message to anyone who feels too far gone: there is a way forward. “I know what it’s like to feel hopeless, to think you’ve gone too far to change. But I’ve also seen what’s possible when you’re willing to take that first step.”

Do you have a loved one or a family member struggling with addiction? Their darkest days can be behind them. The saddest stories can be written with the right support. Change the trajectory of someone’s life with Active Recovery Companions. Life is too short to struggle with addiction or mental health issues. Discover the light and save someone’s life in the process.