Longmont native, Vic Vela Jr., has always been a storyteller. As a reporter for Colorado Public Radio and a member of the Colorado Capitol Press Corps, Vela gave accounts of some of the most important stories in the state. In the last few years, Vela has turned the mirror to himself, and the most important story of his career has become his personal tale of recovery and resilience.
On Sept. 26, Vela will share his journey with a hometown audience. And what a journey it has been.
Vela struggled at a young age after realizing he was gay. At the time, he felt that he didn’t have an outlet to be his authentic self, and he began using drugs and alcohol to soothe his discomfort. Eventually, Vela developed a dependency on crack cocaine.
Despite his drug use, Vela was still able to cobble together a successful career. He racked up dozens of journalism awards, multiple degrees and was an accredited member of his profession. All the while, he was getting his fix behind the dumpsters across the street from the news station where he worked, still dressed in a button-down shirt with a neatly knotted tie.
Vela was diagnosed with HIV in 2006, but managed to hold everything together in the face of his addiction. He describes himself as “the poster boy for a functioning addict.” It wasn’t until 2015 that Vela finally decided he had enough. He reached out to his first-ever sponsor, found a meeting and has been sober since.
In the early days of his recovery, Vela found hope and comfort in the first-hand accounts of other addicts. The stories of people who faced the same challenges gave him courage and reminded him that he wasn’t alone.
Vela realized that there was power in feeling seen through the story of a stranger. In 2020, he began a podcast called “Back From Broken,” highlighting narratives from people who have found a way to move from darkness to light. The podcast isn’t solely about addiction, but rather examines a range of struggles his subjects have held inside and work to overcome. It’s an exploration of suffering in its many forms and the multiple pathways to healing. The tone of “Back From Broken” isn’t designed to be tragic — although the tales themselves often are — but hopeful and informative.
The man who has made a living selling stories is now most comfortable sitting at a microphone, listening to the stories of others. Vela lends a compassionate ear to his guests along with insightful but gentle commentary. He’s interviewed some amazing personalities, including athletes, musicians and everyday people in the community.
You can hear Vic Vela tell his story of recovery at a free event hosted by the Longmont Museum on Sept. 26. The event is sponsored by Longmont Latinx Voices, which is a nonprofit advocacy organization founded by Vela’s father, Victor Vela, Sr.
Formed in 2019, the aim of Longmont Latinx Voices is to address the disparities and close the opportunity gap for the Latinx community through education, access to resources and support. Victor Vela Sr. sees his son’s presentation to the community as an extension of those goals.
“We’ve been talking about bringing Vic down for a while. He does a fabulous job of talking about mental health and addiction and how it’s one day at a time. We know these issues impact the Latinx community,” Vela Sr. said.
Vela Jr.’s talk is open to the public and free of charge, but RSVP’s are requested to ensure seating availability. You can confirm your spot by emailing [email protected].
