Joel Toombs celebrates ten years of Sunrise Way

A volunteer firefighter and re-enactment warrior has opened up about how his battle with addiction helped him battle bushfires across Australia, as rehab centre Sunrise Way celebrates ten years in Toowoomba.

Gowrie Little Plain Rural Fire Service brigade officer Joel Toombs, Sunday, July 28, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

From battling alcohol addiction to battling bushfires, a Toowoomba construction crew co-ordinator has shared his story of nine years and counting of sobriety, overcoming challenges, fighting fires and a message to everyone out there - what you get in a sober life is “beyond whatever you could possibly imagine”.

Ten years ago, an anonymous Toowoomba benefactor left $1.5m to start Sunrise Way, a charity which provides rehabilitation and hope to those struggling with drug and alcohol addiction.

Six months after Sunrise Way opened, at 6am on January 26, 2015, Joel Toombs had his last drink.

Joel Toombs is dressed for battle in his 9th century Viking attire. The reenactment actor is a veteran in battle after fighting an alcohol addiction and celebrating almost ten years sober. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“At first I didn’t remember it, I woke up the next day and everybody was looking at me as though I just slapped their grandmother,” he said.

“The venom in their eyes, they were all staring at me, I had no idea what I did, I had no recollection of anything.”

His then-wife filled him in, and the next few days he was met with memories of horror from the night as it all came back to him.

“I still remember that night quite vividly and the yelling and screaming and saying very vile, nasty nasty things to people - mainly to my ex-wife,” he said.

“And realising I had no control, I had a little voice in the back of my head screaming to please stop and I couldn’t stop.”

Six months later, Mr Toombs graduated from Sunrise Way and the lessons he learnt getting sober has taken him on to achieve things he never imagined - such as battling bush fires across the country and winning multiple awards for his service.

“You look back at the journey that you’ve walked, and you start seeing just how worth it is because you see what’s in front of you,” he said.

In his spare time, the father-to-three, multiple award-winning volunteer firefighter and construction crew co-ordinator, dons a coat of armour which reflects his chivalry and courage to constantly win every day over his addiction.

His chivalry extends into honour, patience and reliability, which are seen in his work managing million-dollar construction contracts.

Gowrie Little Plain Rural Fire Service brigade officer Joel Toombs, Sunday, July 28, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“My boss knows that he can rely on me,” Mr Toombs said.

“And it’s through getting over that (addiction) I’m able to do what I can do right now.”

This week, Sunrise Way celebrates ten years of helping thousands of people throughout Toowoomba and surrounds get sober and clean.

For 85 per cent of their Centrelink payments, people receive accommodation, food, professional support and counselling, regular structure, transition accommodation for either a six-week or six-month program.

It is a program that will always been needed for as long as there is anyone battling with active addiction and it is a long, hard road to maintain, Sunrise Way chief executive John Griffiths said.

“We live by that adage of big wide open doors where everyone is welcome, but with very narrow corridors, because if you’re not willing to change and fall in line and follow the rules then you’re not going to be able to stay clean and sober,” he said.

As a volunteer firefighter, Mr Toombs is able to give back to the community what he took while he was in active addiction.

“While it may not seem like it at first, being sober is far better than being in active addiction,” he said.

“The gifts you receive in sober life is beyond whatever you could possibly imagine.”

Joel Toombs (centre) sits with a number of other Sunrise Way graduates and students who have been part of the program. Many are at different journeys, some volunteering at the centre, working full-time or coming towards graduation. Picture: Christine Schindler