February 18, 1991 was the best day of my life. December 19, 2016 was the day I was forever changed. My beautiful boy Lucas lost his gripping and grueling battle. The journey long and wrenching. Our love for each other not to be denied. Lucas’ short life started with difficulty...

My new friends, Ryan Hampton and Garrett Hade asked if I would share my story. Honestly, I didn’t know which one to share. The one about losing my son Nick 20 years ago, or the one that encompasses the last 17? I’ve chosen to tell a little of each. Nick Cristarella, age 22 died...

You picked me out of a line Not knowing what was in store You chose me and accepted me Like an eagle one day I would soar I was born on November 3, 1983 in Claremont, New Hampshire. By the time I was three years old, I was taken away from my biological mother by the State...

I remember the first time I got drunk like it was yesterday. I guess it's hard to forget those moments that change your life forever. I remember exactly where I was standing. I remember who I was talking to. But most of all I remember the absolute euphoria I felt when that first...

The holidays. Those two words used to bring such joy to my heart and plans to my head. I would get to the store with my list and always ended up with more than I bargained for. I would envision the day. The table, the turkey, family and friends all together celebrating our...

My first loves My story didn't start out with a white picket fence and the ideal suburban existence. It started in the desert sands of Southern California and the loss of innocence, way too young. My sisters and I were orphaned young. My father died when I was 4 months old. My...

I was the woman who seemed to have it all. I had an amazing career, four wonderful children and an incredible husband. In 2013 I found my personal life in shambles due to a series of events that happened all at once. All of which caused my life to unravel. I went to my local...

My name is Katie, and I am in a woman in long term recovery. What that means to me, is that for the last 2 ½ years I have not turned to drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism for living life. On December 28, 2014 the pain of staying the same outweighed the fear of doing...

You see heroin, I see low self-esteem. You see cocaine, I see fear. You see alcohol, I see social anxiety. You see track marks, I see depression. You see a junkie, I see someone's son. You see a prostitute, I see someone's daughter caught in addiction. You see self-centeredness,...