Taking a toll

“I came from a family of three,” Kizzy says. “My mom was a single mom, and she worked to support us, and always put us first.”

After graduating from high school, Kizzy says she began “hanging around the wrong people,” which led to “using drugs and stuff.” During that time period, she also “started getting into abusive relationships, very toxic relationships, and it led me to use more drugs.”

Kizzy’s original drugs of choice were heroin and methamphetamines, but eventually she moved on to fentanyl. “That's when my life really went downhill,” she remembers. “I was doing maybe 30 to 40 pills a day. I always wanted to get off of drugs, I just didn't know how … with not having stability, and (I) felt like nobody was there for me. With my family detaching their self from me, it kind of took a toll on me.”

Kizzy’s drug use led her to jail multiple times. During one stint, she says, “I was tired, I was done. I didn’t want it anymore. I wanted something different.” When she got out of jail, she entered a treatment facility. From there, she made her way to the Mission's recovery program at Hope Place.

Determined

“I just made a decision,” Kizzy recalls. “I knew that I was a broken person, but I was also determined. I was determined to change. I wanted to change. And Hope Place has given me a different outlook on life. Their staff, the women here, they're very supportive.”

Being in the Mission's recovery program gave Kizzy the opportunity and tools she needed to address things about herself she wanted to change. “I wanted to change, just overall, my character. I had a lot of aggressive ways. I wasn't good with structure or rules,” Kizzy remembers. “I knew one day that I was going to get where I needed to be. I was going to get there. I had to sit still and self-reflect on me and the things that I wanted for me and my kids, my family.”

Looking back, Kizzy knows that God has always been with her, even when she was struggling. “I just thank God that the whole time I was out there, that He had me covered … and that He showed me that I can do this. I'm completely a different person.”

Kizzy hopes to become a substance abuse counselor, and use her story to encourage others. “I'm hoping I can inspire, if not many, maybe one, on my journey,” she says.

Today, Kizzy’s future looks bright. “My future looks promising to me,” she says. “This is the first time in my life where I'm happy … happy about life, happy for what my future is going to hold, and I'm going to definitely pursue my dreams.”