“The electricity had been turned off. I was enrolled in Cosmetology school, but hadn’t gone in weeks. I was so tired. My grandparents were on vacation, so I thought I’d go to their house and shower. My intentions were good. I sat in their shower for what felt like an eternity. I remember each individual drop of water hitting my body as I cried out to die. I was fighting the demons, doomed to lose. I lost that day. I didn’t go to school. Instead, I stole $7,000 worth of jewelry from my grandmother.”
‘I keep telling them to give up on you. I don’t know why they won’t listen.’ The officer grabbed my black and blue arms. I was a walking zombie.’: Former addict transforms her life, ‘I was never hopeless. I was never unworthy.’
‘Who are you?!’ Strangers were looking for my ex. Suddenly, I felt intense pain in my pregnant stomach. I’d been shot.’: Woman loses baby to gunshot wound in robbery, ‘I spent 8 beautiful days on Earth with her’
“The EMT arrived. I couldn’t feel my baby girl moving anymore. ‘Please help her!’ I begged. They tried to detect the heartbeat, but couldn’t. Last thing I remember, I was being wheeled into the ER, all eyes on me. When I first saw her, she was motionless. ‘The decision is up to you. When you say enough is enough, she’ll be put to rest.’ They removed the tubes, but she continued to breathe. She kept fighting to stay alive.”
‘I stole my boyfriend’s debit card and cleared out all his savings. My mistakes have made me who I am today.’: After losing love of her life, child trauma survivor overcomes kleptomania addiction
“I bought myself a plane ticket and flew across the country. The second I got on that plane, I knew I could never speak to him again. It was wrong, but I felt on top of the world.”
‘I took hostages everywhere I went, and the first one was my grandmother. Loving, kind, and elderly made her the perfect target for my addiction.’
“She gave me a car, a phone, and a bed to sleep in. In return I gave her lies, sleepless nights, and stole everything I possibly could.”
‘Stay in your own lane.’ How a car crash reminded this mom of what’s important in life
“Just drive in your own car, honey. Full speed ahead.”
