"This story involves my son, my daughter, and my grandfather. I'm no writer but bear with me. I had children very young twins, a boy and a girl. I had a good life. One night I went to bed and woke up to the most terrible thing imaginable. My son had died of SIDS very close to his first birthday. It took everything out of me. I began to take pain meds. Having never been a drug user I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The habit increased and my life fell apart. Not long till I was shooting up heroin. It took me ten years of this life of hell, always ashamed that this is what I became and that my beautiful sons father was this shell of a man. Still I couldn't quit. Not through hospital visits or multiple stays in prison and jail. Eventually it got so bad I went to live with my Grandfather. The greatest man I've ever known, kind to a fault I borrowed money and took advantage. The drugs had changed me into a completely different person. Eventually he had enough and it should have been much much sooner. I had lost that relationship as well. I was not a father to my daughter or a good man at all. Everything I touched I ruined it seemed. I met a drug counselor at this time who was able to help me find peace with my sons death. Not painlessly but eventual peace. God then took away my addiction. I've continued to do my part but the glory is Gods. Its been six years that I've been sober. Two weeks ago I had my first contact for those years with my Grandfather in the form of a dinner. He was very old now and we had some glassy eyes but he told me he never doubted who I was underneath and that he always knew I'd make it out. I'm a father again for my daughter and a man who can be depended on but I could never have done any of it without these very special people in my life if even sometimes at a distance." - Corey from Rock Island, IL
