“Growing up, there was a lot of chaos and turmoil in my home. I had two drug-addicted parents. And when I was 8, my mom started dealing drugs. People were coming and going. There were a lot of unsafe activities. There was alcohol. There was … Continue readingMagical life blooms after challenging start
“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 life. “Mom was in such a state, figuring out … Continue readingDad’s death has lasting impact on children
(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 I started traveling with him. When I was in … Continue reading‘My number one gift to my family is my sobriety’
“I worked for a while at the hospital as a CNA [certified nursing assistant]. When I had my youngest son, I started staying home. I was working 12-hour shifts. But I decided that him being successful was more important. I wanted to make sure he … Continue readingMom intent on son being successful
(1 of 5) “My sister, Nita, and I grew up in an abusive home. We were both in and out of the system, she more than I. She went to the Chimney Rock in Houston when she was 14. It’s a CPS placement for adolescent … Continue readingPregnant mom’s life ends at hands of her son
“If it was not for what I’d gone through, then I couldn’t do what I do now. I’m what’s called a mental health and addiction recovery peer support specialist. Simply by the word peer, it means that I’ve been there, done that. I realized that … Continue readingNow she helps others with their addictions
“By the time I was about 25, I started running around with people who did things that were just unheard of when I was growing up. That’s how I got into drugs. Except for the four years when I was bringing my children into the … Continue readingFrom life of drugs to recovery coach
“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 Bible. I didn’t really even know how to pray … Continue readingChurch helps on way to turning life around
“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 anymore. I was done. I turned to drugs, alcohol … Continue reading‘I should be gone, but I’m still here’
“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 cut them down to below my knees. I also … Continue readingAfter friend’s death, ‘I just let go of the wheel’