We are thrilled to have Keegan, a young man in recovery, share the stage with his mom, Partnership Parent Coach Laurie Wicks, at our upcoming Winter Wish Gala on December 12 in New York City. Read his story below.“I’m addicted to heroin and I need help.”
Those are the words that rang through my family’s ears as my two older brothers and my mom and dad sat with me that memorable Christmas Day in 2009. I couldn’t believe it. Did those words just come out of my mouth? Yup, they sure did. Did I just share that with my parents? I vaguely remember thinking to myself: so much for everyone having a Merry Christmas.
The room was consumed with devastation and urgency. Staring back at their then seventeen-year-old adolescent son, just months away from graduating high school, my parents took immediate action to find me care and treatment. It was as if my family had been replaced by a SWAT team as they rushed to help me breach the door of willingness into the rooms of recovery.
I didn’t know the first thing about treatment for addiction. What I did know was that I was not capable of making any type of crucial decision regarding my personal health and well-being. Back then, I had little comprehension of how healthcare worked. That’s where they came in. I couldn’t tell you who they called or how it happened, but somehow an opportunity became available for me to be admitted to inpatient treatment, and I took it.
Almost daily, while I was in inpatient treatment, I received letters from my family. From “you got this” Hallmark cards to hand-written letters and inspirational quotes. Lots of inspirational quotes. Each letter was a representation of what encouragement and love looks like. In my family, addiction was treated with the same love and affection as if I had suffered from any other potentially fatal illness. On days when my recovery from addiction seemed unbearable, receiving words of encouragement from my family gave me hope and strength to continue moving forward.
When I was away in treatment, my parents learned all they could about the disease of addiction and the recovery process. Somehow they instinctively knew that family was a key role in recovery support. Help your son get to recovery groups and counseling. Take care of yourself. Get involved in your local community. These are some of the fantastic instructions my family received while I was in treatment — and that is exactly what they did.
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