#PeopleofNEI: Emma, feeling the support in Fort Wayne

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Northeast Indiana is evolving. These are the people shaping its future. #PeopleofNEI

This week’s feature:

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Emma, 21, is one of her parents’ eight children. She grew up in a middle class family, graduated from high school, and is now six months sober. She spoke this week at the “Gone 2 Soon: Once Met, Never Forgotten” event at 2Toms Brewing Company that was inspired by those that have lost loved ones to a drug overdose. “Addiction is the darkest corner of life. It’s one of the hardest things to go through. I grew up with seven siblings, and loving, affectionate parents. We had a nice house and I went to a good high school. Addiction can happen to anyone. I believe that trauma and a lack of coping skills is a big cause for addiction. I think if we are taught when we are young how to cope and handle things, that it can help prevent this. I turned to heroin because I didn’t know how to cope with my pain. When you’re addicted and you don’t have it, it is so painful. I didn’t take heroin because I was enjoying it. I took heroin because I didn’t want to feel pain. Even with all of the love and support in the world, a person can only get better when they want to get better. Now I am six months sober. When I wake up now, I’m not in physical or emotional pain. With the correct therapy and rehab you can get through it. I believe anyone can achieve anything they set their mind to. It just takes the work. If you want to get sober you will be sober. Now my focus is to become a successful member of society again. I have a job and my own place. It makes me feel like a human being again. When I think of Fort Wayne I think of family and community. I want to create a life in Fort Wayne, surrounded by my family and knowing I can drive ten minutes to see my mom and go out to dinner with my siblings and cousins. When I think of Fort Wayne, I think of all the support I have here. I never realized how many people cared about me until I left. Fort Wayne will always be home to me.” #PeopleofNEI

A post shared by Input Fort Wayne (@inputfortwayne) on Mar 25, 2019 at 4:45pm PDT

#PeopleofNEI: Emma, feeling the support in Fort Wayne

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