Couple muscles up to fight addiction

Every journey starts somewhere.

Less than two weeks ago, Terry Kilfian was in Arizona with his wife, Tara, and sister, Shelly, competing in a USA Fit Games arm wrestling tournament.

The trio left with six medals, including Terry’s first place in the master’s 220-pound class.

It was the first time Tara and Shelly had competed in an arm wrestling event, but the atmosphere for Terry wasn’t a new one.

He first competed in an arm-wrestling competition in 1995, but only recently has he decided to push himself – while trying to influence change.

In 2021, the Kilfians opened Breaking Addiction Ministries (B.A.M. for short).

Currently, they train with limited equipment out of a storage unit, but the drive for something greater isn’t about resources.

It’s connecting with others who have battled through addictions to some of the same vices that caused chaos in their own lives.

FINDING A BREAKING POINT

Terry doesn’t mince words about his past.

He admits he’s had his run-ins with law enforcement and spent years trying to overcome various addictions.

Injuries, and the painkillers that came with those, led him through dark times.

Terry moved to Carson City from Las Vegas when he was 19 after losing out on a division I football scholarship because of his struggles.

He says he wants to inspire change for anyone who struggles with addiction and needs an outlet.

“I’ve always struggled with drugs and alcohol … about four years ago I really had an encounter with God,” said Terry Kilfian. “The Lord really put it on my heart to come back here. Eventually I would like to get into the juvenile halls and teach the kids to arm wrestle and hope to lead them out of that darkness.”

Terry and Tara said they’ve heard from folks who knew them in their pasts.

“With our past lives with addiction and alcohol, people have started reaching out,” said Tara Kilfian. “That’s a big reason we moved back here. A lot of the kids that used to run around with him in his bad days want to hang out for the good reasons.”

The name – Breaking Addiction Ministries – stemmed from Terry’s brick breaking, where he would write various addictions on piles of bricks before smashing them with his forearm.

Terry has brought his brick-breaking talents to various audiences and the spectacle can certainly draw a crowd.

“I absolutely love doing the brick breaking, bat breaking, breaking coconuts with my hands. It draws an audience and gives me an opportunity to share testimony of how Christ has entered my life. God has restored all the things that addiction took from me,” said Terry.

INSPIRING CHANGE

Their lessons and stories have influenced fellow competitors.

After their competition in Scottsdale, they were invited to an event in Washington in December.

Of course, they’re not short on internal drive either.

“I want to go as far as I can in this sport. I want to be top 10,” said Terry.

With his success in Scottsdale, he wants to get his name into the national rankings with hopes of using that as a stepping off point to encourage more turnout for others trying to overcome challenges.

Terry and Tara say they currently work with a small group, sharing testimony and building routines.

One day they want to be able to upgrade that equipment and have the bells and whistles.

In the meantime, they are hoping their path to inspire and work with those struggling will lead them on their own journey forward.

 For those interested, contact Terry (775-508-6063) and Tara (909-301-9441) or via email at breakingaddicitionministries@gmail.com. 

(Tara, Terry and Shelly (left to right) pose for a photo with their medals from the USA Fit Games arm wrestling tournament in Scottsdale, Arizona. The trio left with six medals with all three earning two each. / Courtesy Terry Kilfian)