A recovered addict is hand building his family home with his kids – and says moving to a remote homestead has made him a “better” husband and dad.
Andy Robert, 33, had always wanted to raise his family in the woods after growing up in a similar environment.
But he struggled so badly with alcohol and cannabis addiction, his wife, Carlos, 38, and three children moved from North Carolina to Northern Michigan without him.
Determined to become a “good man” Andy got himself sober and moved down to join them six months later and began to restore his marriage.
After saving up, he bought 20 acres of land and is now building a self-sufficient homestead himself and with the help of his young children.
Andy has spent less than $4,000 so far, building a four-bedroom home with scraps and timber from his land.
He says the move has made him a “better” husband and dad.
Andy, who served in the US coastguard, said: “I don’t like the guy I was.
“I grew up with the mentality as man and husband I provide and that’s it.
“I did that, but I realised that wasn’t good enough.
“I wasn’t present for my wife, I wasn’t helping with the kids.
“Now I don’t wake up hungover in the morning.
“I’m around to be present.
“I’m around to make a point intentionally to support my wife and with the boys.
“My relationship is better and stronger.”
Andy struggled with alcohol and would drink as soon as he got home from work and said he wasn’t “present” with his family.
He said: “I developed quite a serious drinking problem.
“I wasn’t a very good husband.”
Andy switched booze for cannabis before finally getting sober in 2019 after being hospitalised.
But with “damage done”, Carlos and their children moved to Northern Michigan at the beginning of 2020 – something they had already planned on doing.
He said: “I ended up with my wife telling me she didn’t love me anymore.
“After she left, I committed to myself.
“I thought ‘I’m going to be a good man, the man I’m supposed to be’.”
Andy continued to work on himself and moved down in September 2020 – buying five acres of land near his family.
He said: “A lot of damage was done.”
But Andy didn’t give up on his marriage and started to rebuild his relationship with his wife and children and saved up to buy 20 acres of land.
He said: “My marriage was slowly restored.”
Carlos put her ring back on in March 2021 and the family are now all helping out to build their “vision”.
The family have chickens, goats, a horse, a cow and two pigs and are growing crops so they can become self-sufficient.
Andy said: “I’m trying to save as much money on the process as possible.
“I have scavenged for materials. I have traded equipment for metal going on the roof.”
Andy’s children are also on board to help with the build.
He said: “They are heavily involved in the process.
“They have certain jobs on the farm – collecting the fire wood and they take care of the animals.”
Andy and Carlos had always dreamed of bringing up their family surrounded by nature.
Andy said: “So many kids live buried in a screen.
“We’re not raising our kids that way.
“I grew up in the woods.
“I’d like them to have that experience.”
Andy believes the homestead has improved his own wellbeing and his relationship with Carlos.
He said: “I believe my wife and I would have worked it out regardless.
“For my own mental health it has been fantastic.
“I’m present and I’m better.”
