David Atherton

Dave Atherton was born in Turlock CA., and raised in Zephyr Cove, Nevada. After high school he followed his dream of playing college football.

Before his senior year of college football Dave started a new job, working with 5-12 year old “at risk” youth with a variety of mental health disorders. It was there that Dave discovered his passion for the mental health field.

Off and on, Dave worked with youth, mainly teenagers, in four different mental health residential treatment facilities, middle schools, high schools, and summer sports camps.

From 2017-2021 Dave worked for the state of Nevada with adult inmates who had been arrested, deemed incompetent to face their charges, then evaluated and treated for mental health needs.

Throughout his years in the mental health field he has motivated and inspired countless clients as well as co-workers. Dave knew at an early age that he loved encouraging and inspiring others to navigate and find a way through life’s toughest challenges.

From the age of 19-34 Dave struggled with alcoholism, and from the age of 28-34 he was addicted to pain pills and heroin. At the age of 34 he overdosed and was put in an induced coma, which then led to him attending a six month abstinence based rehab facility.

Dave has been sober since January of 2012.

Brandie Morales

Brandie was born and raised in Billings, Montana. She grew up in an area of Billings that was stricken with poverty, crime, addiction, and families plagued with generational dysfunction.

At the age of 12 she developed an affinity for boxing. Which led to her joining Billings Amateur Boxing Association, and as she was fighting at the amateur level things were going well.

Unfortunately, with no father in the home, and her mother working various jobs just to get by, Brandie found out she was pregnant at the age of 14. At the age of 15 she gave birth to her daughter Justice, changing her life dramatically.

This led to her giving up her dream of boxing completely.

After having her daughter, Brandie started a 17 year addiction to opiates and methamphetamines. She then found herself in severely abusive relationships, various stints in jail, and eventually arrested by the U.S. Marshals.

At the end of 2011, after 17 years on the streets, Brandie was offered by a family friend, a once in a lifetime opportunity to attend a six month abstinence based drug rehab program in California.

She said yes because she knew this was a life or death decision. She attended rehab and has been clean since 2012.

Together as One

Brandie and Dave met in drug rehab in 2012. Though they both knew that rehab was not the best place to find love, their friendship was undeniable and led to them encouraging one another to maintain their sobriety. This friendship led to a relationship after treatment.

Early in the relationship Brandie and Dave faced one of their greatest challenges as a couple. In the span of two weeks Brandie’s mother Debbie had a severe stroke and the doctors gave her five days to live.

Brandie’s brother Brandon, who is addicted to methamphetamines and suffering from Lupus of the brain, was in the streets and hadn’t been heard from in weeks.

Brandie’s youngest brother Jesse James, who had recently got out of prison after 15 years, was now back in prison after only being out for a year. His addiction to methamphetamines led to his downfall.

Brandie’s daughter Justice, whose addiction issues were getting worse, found out she was pregnant at the age of 19.

All of this crashed down at the same time, yet weathering this storm together, Dave and Brandie were able to see the power and potential of how well they work together as a team. This inspired them to want to start a business together helping other families facing such horrific circumstances.

Atherton New Living is a business built on facing adversity as a team, and not allowing mental health or addiction issues to destroy the family dynamics.

Brandie’s mother Debbie not only survived the stroke, but she also went on to receive a liver and kidney transplant in 2021. Debbie is living a life that she could never have possibly dreamed of or imagined.

Brandie’s brother Brandon continues to struggle with his addiction issues, but he also continues to fight the good fight, which is all we ask, to keep fighting.

Brandie’s brother Jesse James served another 6 years in prison and was paroled out into the care of Brandie and Dave in 2021. He’s found a very successful career in plumbing, and has a great relationship with his girlfriend and her family. Jesse James is thriving in ways he couldn’t imagine.

Brandie’s daughter Justice gave birth to a healthy and happy young man she named Justus James in 2014. She also has a happy and healthy family with a beautiful baby girl, named Dej’anelle who was born in 2022. Justice has been sober since 2014.