The brightest success stories sometimes come out of the darkest places. For Alex Cable, the dark places he emerged from have given him an understanding that he now uses to help others who find themselves struggling to find a spark of light, a glimmer of hope.
A 2011 graduate of Buford High School, Cable is candid in acknowledging his struggles with substance abuse during his high school years.
“I unfortunately was in a place where substances were my main focus and used those in a destructive way for a majority of my teenage years,” he said. “The truth is, my time at Buford wasn’t the best. I wasn’t a model student or even a model young man, I was slowly getting deeper into my addiction and disconnecting from my family and friends.”
When asked which area of Buford’s Triple AAA Excellence he represented most — excellence in academics, athletics or the arts — Cable again answered candidly.
“To be honest, I did not exude any of these qualities while a student at Buford,” he said. “Athletics did help keep me above water during that time, but I never really bought into the idea that I could be excellent.”
Football, which Cable played for three of his four years in high school winning three state titles as a team, was his outlet.
“I was wildly lazy, but just being in that environment, around my ‘brothers’ kept me sane,” he said. “For me, the drugs started at an early age and only progressed the older I got, but football kept me from going all the way over the edge, until things got too dark for me and I walked away from the team. That year without football was rough and my substance abuse skyrocketed to the point where I wasn’t sure I would make it back.”
Cable said living without football and the support of his teammates was a minor wakeup call, but that the experience just wasn’t enough for him to change.
“I can honestly say without my teammates showing me love for those three years on the field and people like Christian Durden, Dillon Lee, Tanner West, and Willie Harrison during that year off, I never would have made it,” he admitted.
Despite the struggles Cable faced throughout high school, one class helped him realize a number of his strengths. During his senior year, he took a class in entrepreneurship designed to teach students the basics of starting a company and the ins and outs of daily operations. Cable said the class “ultimately (helped) me realize I was a terrible employee but had a natural ability to run a business.
“Dealing with constant stress of ‘running the show’ was my happy place,” he said. “Things like employee management, licensing, trademarking and sales skills were just a few things that (my teacher) Mrs. Adam’s drilled into my head.”
Cable was also a member of Future Business Leaders of America — a club that foreshadowed Cable’s professional pursuits.
“FBLA is still one of the hardest things I have ever participated in,” he said. “You see, as an addict, I always believed that I had all of the answers, and participating in that program was hard evidence that I was never going to be the smartest man in the room, but I could be the most prepared.”
After graduating from Buford High School in 2011, Cable attended Central Missouri to study criminal justice and play football. A year into college, he found himself kicked out, “hopelessly” addicted to substances and feeling like his life was “worthless.”
“I ended up at an inpatient treatment facility where I was given the opportunity to turn my life around,” Cable said. “Through that year I found my calling; that working with people in the addiction and mental health field was my true passion.”
Today, Cable is a certified interventionist who also holds certifications in life coaching, recovery coaching and fitness in recovery coaching. Two years ago, he founded Surrender Consulting, a Glenwood Springs, Colorado-based company focused on helping individuals experiencing the challenges of substance abuse and mental health disorders. With a team of certified professionals, the company offers addiction interventions and recovery care management — including treatment planning, recovery resources, hands-on coaching, goal setting and both in-person and virtual services — and connects clients with sober companions.
Excerpts from the testimonials shared on Surrender Consulting’s website, from both clients and their families, demonstrate the life-saving work Cable is doing to help those who find themselves in need:
“Alex understands the anxiety, fear, and apprehension when people begin that journey. He provides a glimpse of light and guides his clients through difficult times, while providing a form of stability for them.”
“Alex gave me hope, security, and a sense of certainty that I was no longer alone on this journey to recovery.”
“Alex was the bridge we needed for my loved one to find sobriety, and for that, my family is eternally grateful.”
Reflecting on his time at Buford, Cable said, “I loved Buford and my time there and wouldn’t be the man I am today without the experiences and community there. Through all of that struggle and hardship, I found my true calling in life and realized that being the ‘golden boy’ wasn’t the path that everyone takes. I learned that it’s OK to fail and get stuck in the mud and that asking for help is necessary.”
Cable is the son of Tom and Glenda Cable. He has three siblings, Amanda, Zach and Ryan. He is married to Kelsey Huberty of St. Paul, Minnesota, a licensed professional counselor and addiction counselor who is part of the team at Surrender Consulting, and they have one child, Quinn Fay Cable. In his free time, he enjoys snowboarding, hiking, camping and golf.
