‘My dad is the town crackhead. He cried when he met my son for the first time. Every year for my birthday, he gets me a present.’: Daughter to addict urges ‘he was someone before drugs’

“Everybody knows my dad is literally the town crackhead. And if you didn’t know, now you do.

He’s 10/10 an alcoholic. He was even drunk when I came out of the womb. He’s a true committed drinker.

Everybody makes fun of him or talks mean about him. Even I do from time to time because the stuff he does is actual comedy and flabbergasting.

But what people don’t understand about an addict though is that they once did have a life, feelings, and a family.

We’ve tried to help him thousands of times. You can lead a horse to water, but you CANNOT make them drink. And because of his choices, this is where he is at.

Although he’s like this, he does still have love in his heart and from time to time, you can see that.

One thing about my father is that he tries. He tries to talk to me. Every year for my birthday, this man gets me a present.

Now, it might be some doll he found on the street even though I’m 18 years old and haven’t ever played with dolls, but it’s the fact he still tries and even remembers what day I was born.

This picture is the first time he met my son and he cried. He will not be in my son Eden’s life, but the fact he even wanted to see Eden is a BIG thing for an addict.

So, the next time you see an addict on the street and you think they’re just a junkie or a piece of garbage, please remember that’s someone’s family, that’s someone’s dad, that’s someone son, that’s someone’s sibling, and they were someone before drugs or alcohol took them over.”

This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Destinee Elizabeth. You can follow her journey on Facebook.  Submit your own story here and be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos.

Read more powerful stories about addiction:

‘He was homeless and I was embarrassed by him. Now he’s free, and I’m chained by all the grace I couldn’t bear to give.’: Woman urges forgiveness after losing dad to overdose, ‘My regret is stronger than all the anger I felt for years’

‘My parents broke the news. ‘You were adopted at age 2.’ For the first time, I understood my parents had left me behind, forever.’: Adoptee overcomes addiction, ‘I needed to fall in love with myself again’

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