Stories
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SAFE Campuses Spotlight: Lilinoe Kauahikaua
For Lilinoe Kauahikaua, the Program Coordinator for the Mālama Project at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa and Collegiate Recovery Leadership Academy participate, recovery means more than just working to overcome substance use disorder, for her, it was about reconnecting with her roots and culture. Learn about Lilinoe’s healing journey and how she’s working to help other students in…
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Amy’s Story: Families Recover Too
You might be sitting here asking yourself why didn’t this girl just leave him? Well I’m here to tell you, I fought Alex’s addiction right beside him, but I often felt that I was fighting harder than he was. Trying to help someone struggling, you often break your own heart because eventually you realize you’ve…
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Alex’s Story
Addiction is a special kind of hell. It takes the soul of the addict and breaks the hearts of everyone who loves them. In 2020, it’s been three years since losing my husband Alex, and for some reason this year has been harder than the two before. Grief hits me at such odd times, I…
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Samuel’s Story: The Other All-American Boy
As Samuel “Kevin” Johnson will tell you, his experience growing up was characterized by trauma and violence — when what he really needed was counseling, job training, and education. After many years of struggling with drugs and alcohol, he knew it was time to get help or lose everything that mattered to him. This is his…
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Randy’s Story: Five Years Later
A Note from Randy: Every year, on January 31st at precisely 9:11 am, I post an annual message to the “Remembering Vanessa” Facebook page we started after our daughter died from a Heroin Overdose. I do this, not to bring attention to our family but rather to bring attention to an issue that could strike any…
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Jay’s Story: Why I Carry Narcan…Everywhere
We first met Jay Shifman when he volunteered with SAFE’s Naloxone Awareness Project, helping to promote awareness of Naloxone and help people find it in their communities. But Jay does more than just promote this lifesaving drug – it goes everywhere he does! Narcan/Naloxone comes with an unintended additional purchase, stigma … but the more…
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Beth’s Story: If I had Known
“I lost my youngest son Joe on June 24 of 2017 to a heroin overdose. He was 32 years old.” – Beth French When a death is caused by addiction, a parent is left with many questions, and I asked myself most all of them: Was this a suicide? How did this happen? Why did I…
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A Recovery Story with Brandee and Britnee
For a parent in recovery, restoring relationships with your children can be daunting. It’s about rebuilding trust, perhaps learning how to be an effective parent in recovery, all while managing the daily issues that every parent faces. As your children grow, so will their capacity for understanding. As you grow in recovery, so will your…
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Recovery Month: I am a Peer Recovery Specialist
“I am a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist. If you choose to have me as a part of your prevention, treatment and recovery team, you can expect something different.“ By Becky Sterling You can turn to a counselor for much needed advice based upon well studied research about what most people can expect and how that…
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Daniel’s Story: Getting Out of My Own Way
“My life slowly became everything I wanted it to be. The key part of it was getting out of my own way.” I grew up with every opportunity a person could dream of. I had successful and supportive parents, I had absolutely every need provided for me and I had no extreme trauma as a kid.…
