Dad’s death has lasting impact on children
“When my dad died, he was just 41. He left behind my mom and five kids. I was the oldest at 16. The youngest was 3. The toughest part was just trying to go on with...
Tagged: alcohol
‘My number one gift to my family is my sobriety’
(2 of 3) “I was an alcoholic for many years. I’m not blaming it on Pedro. He had to move around for his work as a pipefitter. We were away from each other a lot, until...
Church helps on way to turning life around
“The first time I started coming to this church, I just let a few little things get to me, and I fell right back into the old me. I was having a hard time reading the...
‘I should be gone, but I’m still here’
“After all I’ve been through, I’m fortunate to be here alive today. I’ve had heart surgery. I’ve been shot multiple times. I’ve lost close friends. It got to the point where I didn’t care about life...
After friend’s death, ‘I just let go of the wheel’
“I grew up with messed-up feet. They were real club-footed, like turned in. To help fix them, I had to wear these casts that went all the way up my legs. When I was 8, they...
Her childhood was ‘really, really hell’
“Drugs, alcoholism, domestic violence — all of that was in our life growing up. “My dad was a salesman. He made a lot of money, but he spent it on alcohol and drugs. He beat my...
He makes the most of second chance at life
“I was driving to Columbus, Texas. I was going up there to work. Back then I was drinking, and I ran my truck head on into a tree. It was at night, and I had gone...
‘I have great kids; I guess I did something right’
“I was 20 when I got married. We were together for 10 years, and we had three children. Actually, I have four children, but my sister raised my youngest. I had my baby girl until she...
Life experiences help with homeless, marginalized
“We got divorced in 1994, and it was like everything hit the fan. Instead of bucking up and doing the right things, I fell off. That’s when I really got into the alcohol, drugs and stuff....
‘Being able to help people again makes a big difference’
For years, Jennifer Bourgeois struggled with drugs and alcohol. Following rehab, she got a job helping homeless people get back on their feet. She called it one of the best times of her life. But after...
