Kelly's Story

“When I was 11 years old, I ended up getting an infection in my ankle, and I had to have 9 surgeries
on it. I remember going home with bottles of hydrocodone and all these different meds. I remember
taking so much of them when I was hurting. When I didn’t need them anymore, I was addicted before
I even knew what that meant,” Kelly shared. Now, at the age of 19, Kelly remembers a sweet, loving,
fun childhood with her mama and her older brother. “I have the most  loving family. It is just
remarkable how they have continued to love me. I wouldn’t be alive without them.”

But her childhood addiction was strong and quickly took over her life. When she was 16, Kelly entered
her first detox. “For a 16-year-old, parents should have to worry about holding their kid after they had
their first heartbreak or something, not hold their kid and see the track marks on their arms.” 

They recommended long-term treatment based on Kelly’s long  list of disorders and addictions. “Ever
since then it just got worse and worse and worse and worse. And when I thought it couldn’t get any
worse, it still did.”

Kelly went to jail on her first felony charge right after turning 18. She struggled to stay sober, but
when she got a new caseworker, things began to turn around. Her caseworker Chris worked hard to
hold her accountable. She eventually passed her sobriety test and was able to move into Hope Gospel
Mission.

“I had never known the Lord. God started revealing to me things in my life that happened that proved
He is the one God. That’s not a question for me anymore. I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and
Savior, and without that, I don’t think sobriety would even be an option for me,” Kelly said. 
 
Kelly’s record time for sobriety used to be 90 days ... now she is over 6 months sober. She has a bright
future ahead of her. She is fearlessly seeking the Lord and waiting to see what He has in store for her.
She is still so young, but cannot wait to continue to grow with her Savior and serve Him
forever.