I feel it is safe to say that many of us have been effected by addiction. The number of people whose lives have been taken by addiction has become frightening. With your help, we can fight a this insidious disease.
Subscribe to follow campaign updates!
Growing up, I saw firsthand the devastation of addiction. My biological mother has battled substance use disorder for as long as I can remember, and my half-brother tragically lost his life to an overdose. As a child, I didn’t understand why our lives were so chaotic, but I promised myself I’d never touch a drug. Sadly, that promise didn’t last. Struggling with a lack of direction and a difficult home life, I started experimenting with drugs as a teenager. By 19, I was swept into the grip of opiates, and for over a decade, I was caught in the nightmare of addiction—constantly in and out of rehabs, unable to escape the cycle.
I became the person I swore I’d never be. My family didn’t trust me. I would steal from them and then help them look for what I’d taken. I burned bridges with incredible people who loved and believed in me. Some never gave up on me, and others, tragically, didn’t make it. Over the past six years that I’ve been clean, the number of people I’ve lost to addiction keeps growing. Just last month, someone incredibly close to me—someone with over 30 years of sobriety—ended their life. This person was more than a friend; they were a mentor, a leader, a compassionate soul who touched everyone they met.Another dear friend of mine is now in the hospital, a victim of the dangerous substances drugs are being cut with on the streets. They have agreed to go to treatment, and for that, I am grateful.Sometimes, it seems like a pointless battle and it feels like we aren't getting any where. But for every negative piece of information, I can name a positive one.Many who enter recovery homes have nothing. I’ve been in that very position—feeling broken, hopeless, and grateful for the smallest kindness. That’s why I’m starting this fundraiser, to provide recovery homes with basic necessities like toiletries and clean undergarments. These small things can make a huge difference for someone starting over. I know because they made a difference for me.This is my way of giving back to those still fighting—the least I can do after all the chances I’ve been given. With your help, we can offer dignity and a chance at a new life to people who need it most.Once a hopeless dope fiend, now a dopeless hope fiend.
Sign in with your Facebook account or email.