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HOLDREGE — With his children as his motivation, Colter Bronstad followed the steps through Phelps County Family Drug Court and became its first graduate Wednesday.

“Colter has gone through a lot of things,” County Judge Robert Ide said. Ide oversees family drug courts in Phelps and Adams counties.

Ide said, as with all situations, there have been a few bumps in the road, but Bronstad persevered for his three children.

“We stub our toes like everyone, but it’s having the courage to get up and do whatever’s necessary for these little people,” Ide said.

Bronstad entered the program 15 months ago after facing charges for substance abuse. After receiving in-patient treatment, he got his children back. Many times, without the intervention of a program such as family drug court, children are removed from the home and placed in foster care.

Bronstad and his wife, Lindsey, both participated in family drug court. They have three children, Mercadese, 4, Jerzey, 2, and Colter Jr. 1.

Although the couple split up about eight months ago and Bronstad has custody of the children, Lindsey was there at his graduation to support him. Lindsey is scheduled to graduate from the program in January. Also at the ceremony were Bronstad’s friends and family, employers, counselors, Court-Appointed Special Advocate workers, the legal guardian assigned to the children, court employees and the attorneys who have been involved in the case.

“I’ve seen everyone in this family come a really long way from where we’ve started,” said Deputy Phelps County Attorney Patrick Calkins. “They both have made tremendous strides.”

To graduate, participants must complete five phases. The first phase is weekly court hearings, treatment meetings, drug testing, and regular meetings with family care providers. By the fifth phase, the participant’s case is reviewed only as needed.

“As a pilot project for family drug court, Colter and Lindsey have set the bar pretty high,” Calkins said.

“I have no regrets,” Bronstad said. “My other lifestyle, I could hide from things and not have to deal with them.”

Now, he has more patience with his children, he said. Before, he might have chosen to ignore the kids, but now he tries to plan weekly special times to do activities with them, whether that is going somewhere together or doing something at home.

“I don’t miss the old lifestyle at all,” he said.

When a drug dealer showed up at Bronstad’s house, he told the dealer to get off his porch and shut the door. Bronstad has accepted the challenge to talk to others about his problems with addictions.

“This is about the Holdrege community owning its kids and reacting as a community,” Ide said.

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