The following story is a very private and personal part of Debra's life which she so willing gave permission to the Home of Grace for Women to use in hopes she might encourage someone else to seek help with the alcohol and or drug addictions.

I was born in Baltimore, MD and moved to Londale, PA when I was 6 years old. I attended Catholic school up until the eight grade, at 13 we moved to Mobile.

I never experimented with alcohol or drugs during my high school years. When I reached 19 I began to drink as it was the "in thing to do". I thought everyone drank to have fun. I married shortly after.

At this time I began working as a bartender, the money was good. I didn't realize until later the price I would have to pay. During this time I got divorced, we both drank all the time and it was not a good marriage. I stayed single for 5 years. At this time my drinking had progressed to the point where I was drinking everyday, and was always hung over. I had began to have a lot of black outs where I couldn't  remember what I did or what happened the night before. I had such a void in my life that even with all the alcohol consumed it failed to change the way I felt.

Now I met my second husband and he did not drink. I thought "well this would surely straighten me out". I became pregnant and I did not take a drink for about a year. My daughter was born in April 1985, and oh what a wonderful day it was. I just knew my life would be fine now. I returned to work as a bartender and almost immediately started drinking again. I got another divorce because of my drinking. Now I was a single mother alone with my daughter.

The first 10 years of my daughters life I missed because alcohol had become the most important thing in my life. I started drinking again because I wanted to have fun, but the disease of alcoholism had progressed to the point that I was no longer in control.

On April 2, 1995 I hit my bottom and didn't care whether I lived or died. My family assisted my into getting help and by the grace of God I came to the Home of Grace for Women. Here I have been restored to sanity. My self0esteem had also be restored and now I have a hope for the future.

The past ten years of my life as well as my daughters has been lost, but I look forward to the next ten years with great expectations. I feel that what I have I can keep by giving it away. Hopefully, I can help someone else not to go through the pain I have experienced. I have been sober 10 years and life is so much better. I know God has a purpose for me and I now have a goal, which is something I have never had before. I want to be the best mother I can be, and teach my child that she has a choice, and how to make the right ones.

By the grace of God and the Home of Grace for Women, I have been given a second chance in life and for that I am eternally grateful. I am entering school this fall all made possible by the Home of Grace and Vocational Rehabilitation. I am now living with my daughter and enjoying life, and having fun soberly.