Mario’s Mission

06/01/2026

Guest Speaker Highlight

Meet Lovelee Harvey

Lovelee is a Recovery Coach, Peer Support Specialist, Community Engagement Coordinator, and a Motivational Speaker in the Boston area where he was born and raised. Throughout his journey, Lovelee has faced many challenges such as, Substance UseDisorder (active addiction), several incarceration's, homelessness, mental health, and trauma.

He has been able to overcome these challenges with his focus on recovery,
spirituality, and the many modules of the pathways to recovery. As a result of his successes, he has turned his pain into purpose and his purpose intohis passion and find nothing more fulfilling than being the change he wants to see byhelping others.

Some of the organizations and institutions that Lovelee has devoted time and worked
for are; STEPRox Recovery Support Center, Whittier Street Health Center, North
Suffolk Community Services, Mass General Hospital, Boston Medical Center, Tufts
Medical Center, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, Barbara Mc Innis (BPHC),
Nubian Sqaure Task Force, Metro Boston Alive, City of Boston Mayor’s Office, as well
as guest lecturer on Addiction and Cultural Competency at Harvard University and
Tufts University School of Medicine.

Lovelee’s mission is to carry a message of hope that inspires and motivates others and
show them that anyone can get their together and go from mess2message.

05/29/2026

Guest Speaker Highlight

Meet Jackilyn Bunzell

Jackilyn is a woman in recovery who celebrated her first year of sobriety in 2025 after a 15 year battle with addiction. Through perseverance, treatment, and the support of a strong recovery community, she has rebuilt her life one day at a time. Jackilyn is an active member of AA, regularly attends meetings, participates in commitments, and is passionate about carrying the message of hope to others still struggling.

As a mother, recovery advocate and coach, Jackilyn uses her lived experience to inspire others and demonstrate that recovery is possible. She has completed the Recovery Coach Academy and is dedicated to helping individuals and families affected by substance use disorder. Today, her greatest blessings are her sobriety, her relationship with her daughter, and the opportunity to help others find hope and healing.

When she shares her story, Jackilyn’s message is simple: no matter how far down the road you’ve gone, recovery is possible, and a beautiful life awaits on the other side.

05/29/2026

Guest Speaker Highlight

Meet Alex Gaudette

Alex Gaudette is a dedicated recovery advocate, entrepreneur, and leader in the substance use disorder recovery field. With over four years of continuous recovery and lived experience overcoming addiction, Alex brings both personal understanding and professional expertise to the individuals and families he serves.

As the founder of Breaking Barriers Recovery Homes, Alex oversees multiple sober living residences throughout Massachusetts, creating safe, structured, and supportive environments where men in recovery can build strong foundations for long-term success. His mission is to provide residents with the accountability, guidance, and community needed to achieve lasting sobriety and meaningful personal growth.

Inspired by his own recovery journey, Alex has dedicated his career to helping others find hope and healing. He is currently pursuing his LADC II (Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor II) certification and continues to expand his knowledge and skills to better serve the recovery community. His combination of lived experience, education, and hands-on work in recovery allows him to connect with individuals on a deeper level while helping guide them toward lasting change.

Known for his leadership, compassion, and commitment to service, Alex continues to advocate for individuals seeking recovery by expanding access to quality recovery housing and fostering environments where residents can rebuild their lives, strengthen relationships, and achieve their goals.

Alex firmly believes that recovery is possible for anyone willing to do the work, and his life’s mission is to help others break through barriers, discover their potential, and create fulfilling lives in recovery.

“Recovery Starts Here.” – Breaking Barriers Recovery Homes LLC.

05/29/2026

Guest Speaker Highlight

Meet Damien Trites

Damien “The Omen” Trites is a former professional MMA fighter, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, entrepreneur, and recovery advocate from Springfield, Massachusetts. Known for his aggressive grappling style and submission victories, Trites built a professional MMA record of 14 wins 7 losses competing for organizations including Bellator MMA and earning a reputation as a tough, exciting fighter. Most of his victories came by submission, reflecting his deep roots in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and combat sports.

Outside the cage, Damien has dedicated his life to helping others overcome addiction and adversity. Drawing from his own experiences, he founded Brave Path Recovery, a Massachusetts-based treatment program focused on helping individuals reclaim their lives through recovery, accountability, and personal growth. He is also involved in media, public speaking, and creative projects that share messages of resilience, redemption, and hope.

Whether as a fighter, coach, entrepreneur, or advocate, Damien “The Omen” Trites continues to live by a simple mission: helping others fight their way back from the darkest moments of their lives and discover a new path forward.

Join us August 8th for 3rd Annual Sober Bash - Summer 2026!

05/24/2026

🎉 PUTTING UNITY BACK IN THE COMMUNITY 💜

Join us for the 3rd Annual Sober Bash – Summer 2026
Hosted by Blake Media & Mario’s Mission Inc.

📅 Saturday, August 8, 2026 | ⏰ 10AM - 3PM
📍 Disalvo Park
🌧️ Rain Date: August 9
🎟️ FREE ENTRY

FOOD • FUN • FELLOWSHIP IN RECOVERY
Music, raffles, games, and more! Come celebrate recovery and honor those we’ve lost to addiction.

MEET OUR GUEST SPEAKERS:
Damien Trites – Owner of BravePath Recovery
Lovelee Harvey – Recovery Advocate
Alex Gaudette – Owner of Breaking Barriers Recovery Homes
Jackilyn Bunzell – Recovery Coach and Advocate

GET INVOLVED:
🕊️ Honor a Loved One: Submit a name to [email protected]
Annual Co****le Tournament: $100/team | Team fee waived for sober home/halfway house teams
🛍️ Vendors Welcome: $25
📋 Resource Tables: BYOT – No Fee, open to all organizations

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Community $150 | Silver $300 | Gold $500
Help us make this day possible for our community!

Together We Recover. Together We Remember. Together We Rise. 💜

05/06/2026

3rd Annual SOBER BASH – Summer 2026 💜

If you’ve been before, you already know… and if you haven’t—this is the year you don’t want to miss.

We have taken the advice of the community and booked a rain date this year as well.

This is a community that keeps showing up for each other in the most powerful way.

Join us for a day of food, fun, and real fellowship in recovery—where we celebrate life, support one another, and honor those we’ve lost 💜

🎶 Music • 🎟️ Raffles • 🎯 Games & More

💜 Honor a Loved One
Submit a name to: [email protected]

🎉 Annual Co****le Tournament
$100 per team (waived for sober home & halfway house teams)

🛍️ Vendors Welcome – $25
🤝 Resource Tables (BYOT – no fee, open to all organizations)

📅 August 8, 2026
🌧️ Rain Date: August 9, 2026
⏰ 10AM – 3PM
📍 DiSalvo Park, Revere MA

⭐ Sponsorship Opportunities Available

Pull up, bring your people, and be part of something that actually matters.

Teams/Tables/ Questions: [email protected]

Together We Recover.
Together We Remember.
Together We Rise. 💜

03/06/2026

🖤Black Balloon Day – March 6🖤

Today we remember the lives lost to overdose and stand together to raise awareness about the devastating impact of addiction. Black Balloon Day is a time for communities across the country to honor those we have lost, support the families who carry their memory, and continue fighting for hope, recovery, and change.

Today we remember and honor:

🕊 Anthony Todisco
🕊 Kathleen Todisco
🕊 Arthur Todisco

Your lives mattered. Your stories matter. And you will never be forgotten.

Each black balloon represents a life taken too soon and a reminder that the overdose crisis continues to affect families, friends, and communities everywhere. By speaking their names and sharing their stories, we keep their memory alive and help break the stigma surrounding addiction.

At Mario’s Mission, we believe awareness saves lives. We stand with every family who has experienced this unimaginable loss and continue working toward a future where recovery, compassion, and support are available to everyone who needs it.

Please take a moment today to remember those we have lost and to support those who are still fighting.

Gone but never forgotten🪽

03/02/2026

National Black Balloon Day – March 6, 2026🖤

On this day, we pause.
We remember.
We honor the lives lost to overdose.

Every black balloon represents a life that mattered. A son. A daughter. A mother. A father. A friend. A story that deserved more time.

At Mario’s Mission, we stand for remembrance, awareness, and change. We fight stigma. We fight silence. We fight for those still battling and for the families who carry the weight of loss every single day.

On March 6th, we ask you to:

🖤 Display a black balloon
🕯 Light a candle
📣 Share a name
🤍 Spread awareness

Together we remember.
Together we fight.
Together we heal.

11/27/2025

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=atXQ3Yyqgic

This week we sit down with Marissa's Father Mario Todisco and discuss his recovery.

09/20/2025

This past weekend our members of Kathy’s Place attended Revere’s Flip the Script Stop the Stigma event.

The Advocate captured this picture of the ladies enjoying the event. Did you know we are the only female sober home in the city of Revere?!