Hands Across The Bridge 2026
More than 800 people in recovery, along with their families, advocates, and organizations for addiction treatment, spanned the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge at 10:00am on September 18th to celebrate Recovery Month with music, prayer and encouragement.
Samaritan co-sponsored this event — now in its fourth year — alongside the Tennessee Association of Alcohol, Drug & other Addiction Services (TAADAS) and others to salute the recovery community. Participants held hands across the length of the Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge to form a human chain in support of those in recovery, illustrating the importance of support and connection in the recovery journey.
“For 28 years I struggled with my drug and alcohol addiction. For years I didn’t think that I would ever stop using. I knew I was tired but I just didn’t know how to stop.
I heard about Samaritan from a friend that said how good of a treatment program it was and how the staff was commited to making sure that we understand what this disease is that we are dealing with. So in March of 2016 I came to Samaritan and started in their intensive residential program.
This was an intensive program where for 29 days you are taught about alcohol and drug disease. From day one when I came into Samaritan I had doubt of ever being able to stay clean. But I was determined to do whatever it took to come out of the dark of my life that I had been living in for so many years.
I think what opened my eyes up the most was the passion that the staff had with each individual client, how they showed each of us that they care and were willing to go to any length to get us away from the doubt that we had in ourselves. The staff opened my mind up to a lot of the issues that I have encountered over the years that has caused me to react and turn to my addiction.
The Samaritan program has given me hope I didn’t have. And I am grateful.”