Hello, my name is JT Hatcher. I came to Breaking Free in January 2007 for a severe drug addiction. My addiction led to numerous bad decisions which eventually led to myself being shot in the head, back, and neck, three of my close friends & my best friends mom being shot and killed. This did not stop my drug addiction. I remained in my addiction racking up numerous charges to my personal record that could have become felonies. This continued for about a year after the shooting until I hit rock bottom and was told by my probation officer “prison or rehab.” Not wanting to go to prison I called Breaking Free, with a number of chargers on my record. 

     During my time in the program the Lord healed the areas in my heart that were broken from past hurts and my addiction. I was taught what it is to be a true leader, taught how to help people, and most importantly I was loved and told that I had a call on my life that God had given me. I graduated Breaking Free in May of 2008 with a vision to help people like me. Since graduation I have been a staff at both the Georgia program and the Texas program. I married the founders oldest daughter, Danielle, March 20, 2010.

    Danielle & I have been running the Breaking Free Texas program since September 2010. November of 2012 Danielle was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma, a blood cancer that attacks the lymphatic system. For the past year we have had to dig deep in our marriage and face this disease head on. September 27, 2013 Danielle had a stem cell transplant, and we all celebrated this second chance at life. In spite of these negative circumstances God has done so many things in both of our lives. We see the call that He has for us, a call to give hope to people who are hopeless and to bring light into a very dark world. 

    Danielle and I also are the youth pastors of Breaking Free Church. This has been a desire of both of our hearts. We have always felt the call to teach youth and be there to support them in some of the most important times of their lives. God is opening so many doors for this, we are seeing youth who have huge calls on their lives grab a hold of God in a way many people never do. That is priceless. 

    Words can not describe how thankful I am for Breaking Free, they saved my life, and brought me hope. Now I am able to watch the Lord do the same thing in other people’s lives that He did in my own. I have a purpose and hope (Jeremiah 29:11).