March 15, 2024 |
Dominic Bonacci
Dominic Bonacci was born on October 1st, 1992, in West Jordan City, Utah. He has faced a journey of ups and downs. When he was very young, his parents went their separate ways, and he moved with his mom to Idaho. Not long after, he lived with his dad and grandma until he was about 7. Dominic’s life took a big turn, and shortly after he moved to his first foster home.
From the age of 7 to 17, Dominic bounced around Utah in a total of 9 different foster homes, 7 of which were Polynesian – a culture he learned to love. Despite feeling alone and moving often, Dominic found a silver lining in his love for learning and academics. He attended many schools but managed to excel in his studies.
In high school, Dominic shined both in the classroom and on the football field. He graduated from Carbon High School in 2011 with high honors, proving that hard work pays off. By 19, Dominic had made impressive strides, including becoming a Customer Service Manager and buying his own home and car.
However, life took a challenging turn when Dominic began experimenting with substances. Dominic’s life rapidly declined, and his experimentation very quickly turned into full-blown addiction. These choices led to significant consequences, including time in prison. After his release, Dominic chose to turn his life around.
Dominic was married in 2017 and had his first beautiful little girl, Izzy. When life got hard, Dominic did what he knew was easy for him – he turned back to addiction. Through his choices and actions, he not only became divorced, but homeless as well. Dominic was spiraling quickly. His life had become unmanageable. His choices finally landed him in jail where a slew of charges caught up with him.
Dominic knew where his choices were leading him. He wanted a different life and was willing to do whatever it took to change. Luckily, Dominic was accepted to Red Barn Academy. Dominic began his journey of whole-person reinvention in 2021. This decision marked more than just the beginning of a new chapter, but the start of a new book.
At Red Barn Academy, Dominic has experienced challenges, growth, and the opportunity to rebuild relationships and reconnect with his little girl. After completing his initial 2-year commitment, he knew his journey wasn’t over yet. He wanted to solidify the foundation he had been creating and opted to stay for a 3rd year.
Through Dominic’s stay, he started to not only like, but love the person who was staring back at him in the mirror. Dominic is now able to show up for his friends and family in the ways that they deserve. His commitment to bettering himself led to him being offered a staff position. He currently works as the Medical Manager. Recovery is maintained when you are being of service to others and Dominic chooses every day to live a life based in service.