Soberisswaggy hosting day of speakers at Be the Change

Jody Mathews knows what it’s like to be a drug dealer and addict. He knows what it’s like to sit in prison as a result of his actions. And for the last five years, he has learned what it means to recover from his past, his addictions and his mistakes. He has been sharing his lessons with people all over the country through his nonprofit organization, Soberisswaggy.

Mathews is hosting Be the Change, a full day of guest speakers and music to help others on their road to recovery from addiction and mental health. It will take place at Glad Tidings Church, 2009 Fullers Cross Road, Ocoee.

This event is five years in the making, he said, and he hopes it is a success and he can hold it annually. He has been traveling the country sharing his story and letting people know they can recover, and now, he said, “It’s time to get my community back in the game.”

He connected with Pastor Gary Howell of Glad Tidings, who offered the use of his church. The church’s worship band will perform that day as well.

The day will include close to a dozen speakers, from a podcast cohost and a veteran to a former NFL player and an evangelist. Many are mental health advocates or professionals or inspirational speakers. Mathews also will speak at the event.

Mathews has spent the last few years becoming certified to speak to students. He said his passion is speaking to middle- and high-school students.

“I want to get to them before they get to where I did,” he said. “We partied and drank, maybe a little pot, but it wasn’t heavy drugs.”

Mathews played football at West Orange High School before graduating in 1995. It wasn’t until college that he started smoking and selling marijuana. When he started making serious money, he said, he moved on to selling cocaine and ecstasy. And then he started doing those drugs.

He was imprisoned in 2008 for DUI; there would be a few more DUI arrests.

Severe pain in his left leg in 2015 led to a diagnosis of osteomyelitis followed by 16 surgeries and, ultimately, a below-the-knee amputation. His drinking increased during this time to cope with the pain — until he reached rock bottom and chose to get sober.

This June marks five years of sobriety for Mathews. He wants people to know that if he can do it, they can too.

In that time, he has become a motivational speaker, certified chaplain and certified peer recovery coach. He started Soberisswaggy and just recently created SWAG – Sober With Amazing Grace LLC and a new logo.

He speaks to inmates at a young adults prison, the Orange County Jail and several other Florida prisons.

He has had multiple speaking engagements in Georgia, Ohio, Illinois and Colorado. A few more are scheduled in other states. What amazes him is when he’s wearing his Swaggy gear in other parts of the country and someone recognizes him and hollers out to him.

“It was a group of five guys,” Mathews said. “They took pictures. I remember going to the gate and sitting there and thinking, ‘Life ain’t bad.’ As soon as you think you need a God shot or a moment of clarity, God will give you a glimpse to make you smile.”

Locally, he has spoken to several baseball teams and has one football team lined up.

“I was chosen,” Mathews said. “It’s not conceited; it’s knowing my purpose in life. Just being home and understanding my role today. When I end speaking, I always say, ‘I stand taller on one leg than I ever did on two.'

“If we don’t have guys like myself, who’s going to talk to these kids?” he said. “I’m just doing what I need to do for the kids.”

His nonprofit has teamed with Veterans Valor, a nonprofit run by Jason Kelyman, who owns Lake Harris Hideaway in Lake County. This serves as Mathews’ homebase where he will hold future events.

Last summer, tremendous stress caused his body to start shutting down and endured multiple surgeries on his good foot. But he stayed sober, he said. He has lost 140 pounds and two weeks ago started a new job.

“It’s a good beginning,” he said.