Ryan Warren

Many men’s lives drastically change once they become dads. For Good Dads graduate Ryan Warren, he knew he needed to make a change in his own life when he learned he was going to be a father to a baby girl.

Before Good Dads, Ryan was in and out of jail, struggling with addiction. Suffering from depression at the time, he described it as a life of misery.

“Once (my daughter) was born, I knew that I wanted to get my life together so I could be in her life,” he said. “She was my inspiration.”

Last year, Ryan joined the Victory Mission Restoration Program in Springfield, MO. Fathers participating in the program are required to take Good Dads courses.

“I had no idea how to be a parent,” he admitted.

Before attending classes, Ryan said he faced obstacles when it came to communication and interaction with his child.

“I’ve learned a lot that could help further down the road,” he said, referring to lessons Good Dads teaches on communicating with children of all ages. Ryan enjoyed participating in the program, saying there are valuable, hands-on lessons for fathers.

 

Through Victory Mission and Good Dads, Ryan has gained a steady support system through mentors such as Brian Collins, a chaplain at Victory Mission. Ryan also made connections with other men in the program. Now that he’s on the right path, his mother, brother and sister have made his support system even stronger.

“If I have any issues, I can always go to them,” he said.

Ryan not only owes his success in the program to his strong support system, but to his faith, too. Ryan’s personal faith, paired with what he learned in Good Dads, made a big difference toward his recovery, resilience and ability to be a good dad.

“Even when I was sober, I was miserable,” he said. “(God) gave me that unexplainable peace.”

For fathers going through similar struggles as Ryan, his advice is to stick it out, even when you feel like giving up.

“The longer you have off substances in a learning environment, the longer you have a clear mind, the better,” he said.

Ryan completed both the Good Dads 2.0 and Within My Reach courses, participating in a formal graduation ceremony this summer at the Downtown Church in Springfield. And later the same year, he graduated from the Victory Mission Restoration Program at High Street Church. His two-year-old daughter, Samsara, was in attendance.

 

Ryan currently works for Victory Mission. After being a part of the New Pathways program, Ryan’s life has changed significantly.

“I’ve been clean for over a year and a half, I have a steady job, I have a license and a car that’s legal,” he said. For an individual who, at one point, had next to nothing, these good fortunes like reliable transportation and employment are nothing short of transformative.

Because his efforts to maintain a relationship with his daughter and strengthen his personal faith have led to a lot of good, Ryan knows he wants to continue prioritizing these things. In his view, the most important role a father can play is having a positive presence in a child’s life.

Ryan describes fatherhood like a balancing act, of “being present, being a good influence, someone your kids can depend on and go to even when things are bad, being affectionate, showing love and being that provider.”

Now that Ryan is out of prison, has a job he cares about and can be a steady presence in Samsara’s life, being a provider is an identity he holds onto tightly.

Ryan sees his daughter whenever he can and video calls her every week. Even though she’s two years old, he thinks she’ll be thankful for taking the necessary steps to improve his life today, so he can give her a better tomorrow.

“She knows I’m her dad, and that means the world to me,” he said.

 

About the Author

Dora Gilreath is the communications assistant at Good Dads. She joined the team in 2024 and has a Bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in creative writing at Missouri State University. She loves reading, writing and anything related to theater.