Recovered Heroin Addict Who Started $15 Million Company Has One New Addiction That Got Him Where He Is Today.

Khalil Rafati has had an incredibly rocky life but through a dream and determination, he has created a life that now inspires others. From homelessness to hustling, from heroin to a health entrepreneur, Rafati has an amazing story of life change.

When he was younger he ran away from home to escape years of sexual abuse, fleeing across the country from Ohio to Los Angeles. In LA, he started a car detailing business that boasted clientele such as Jeff Bridges and Elizabeth Taylor. But in that he also faced struggle and felt a raging need to progress.

So, tragically, Rafati also began selling drugs and got addicted to ecstasy and heroin.  He even overdosed at a party in Maliby, and paramedics had to save his life.

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Life took an even worse turn a year later when armed intruders broke into his home and shot at him. Then he hit rock bottom: he had to serve time at the Los Angeles County Jail.

Rafati says this was the ‘bottom of all bottoms.’

But out of the depth of despair, he miraculously made a decision to pursue a better life. To do this, he would need a new, positive addiction to replace the old ones.  So, he became addicted to one new, amazing thing: helping others. 

How?  Through health!

His friend introduced him to juices, and he took it to the next level.

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To help others who were struggling with addiction he started Riviera Recovery Center in 2007. Riviera was designed to be a sober living house but Rafati’s fresh made juices he made for patients and staff were so good that people started visiting just to get his signature blends.

“The juice was meant to rejuvenate and strengthen the patients, and give them some much-needed strength. Lethargy in sobriety is pretty brutal, especially if you’re coming off a long run with hard-core drugs,” Rafati told the New York Times.

“So many outsiders came to Riviera Recovery just to enjoy one of my smoothies, it even became a bit embarrassing since many of these people were not part of the Riviera Recovery program,” he continued.

It was because of the attractiveness of his juices, Rafati started SunLife Organics with the aim to ‘love, heal and inspire’.

SunLife Organics now has six locations where he employs people who are seeking life change.  The company’s revenue is estimated at $15 million per year (based on a median amount from Indeed.com analysis). Rafati’s stores are so popular they are frequented by many celebrities, including One Direction’s Harry Styles.

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Rafati is an inspiration and proof that you can make a huge turnaround!  If you are need, use his story as inspiration and take this step: sit down with a friend and figure out what your new focus can be.  Pursue a “positive” addiction that will better your life… and hopefully help others too.

Share this inspiring story today, because you never know who could use a little encouragement!