09/29/2026
💜 is about sharing HOPE, recognizing the importance of second chances, and acknowledging the perseverance it takes to build a new life. Join us in celebrating another incredible recovery journey from our Shelter Operations and Engagement Specialist, Ashley! 💜
Ashley's story:
"My addiction began when I was 13, and for the next 25 years, I used substances to self-medicate and numb emotions I didn't know how to face. I suffered from untreated mental health issues. My life became consumed by drama, negativity, and betrayal, and over time, I turned into someone I barely recognized. I wasn't living - I was surviving, constantly trying to escape myself.
After my third child was born, something inside me finally shifted. I looked at my children and realized I didn't want them growing up around addiction or remembering me as an addicted mother. I wanted a better life for them, but I also began to believe that I deserved one for myself. I was exhausted from feeling like a failure and hating the person I had become.
After leaving rehab, I learned about recovery in Huntington and made the difficult decision to move here. I knew I needed a new environment and a real chance to start over. The first few years were not easy. I struggled with the changes recovery demanded, fought against myself, and eventually relapsed. I wasn't using for too long, around 8 months, but I was miserable. The relapse reminded me that I didn't want to return to the life I had worked so hard to leave behind.
This time, I chose recovery with greater determination. I entered a sober living house, detoxed there, and took Suboxone for 10 months before gradually tapering off. I began to understand that recovery was about more than stopping my substance use. I had to change how I thought, how I responded to life, and how I treated myself. I had to become willing to do the work, even when it was uncomfortable.
Today, I have been sober for four years. I became intentional about who I allowed into my life, learned to practice patience, and began thinking through my decisions instead of reacting emotionally. Little by little, I rebuilt my life and discovered a strength I never knew I had.
My recovery also gave me a purpose. I have worked in rehabilitation and sober living programs, at a mental health facility, and with people experiencing homelessness. Helping others who face struggles similar to mine is deeply meaningful because I understand what it feels like to believe change is impossible. I can now offer others the hope I once needed.
My husband, who is also in recovery, and I share an apartment, support one another, and hold each other accountable. We have stable jobs and a simple life that brings us happiness. I am especially grateful to have restored relationships with my children and family - relationships I once feared I had lost forever.
For most of my life, I used substances to run from my emotions and circumstances. Today, I no longer want to run from myself. I am proud of the woman I have become, grateful for the life I have built, and committed to protecting the sobriety I worked so hard to find.
After 25 years of addiction, I am finally living a life I once believed was impossible - and I know now that recovery didn't just save my life. It gave me the chance to truly live it."
