09/04/2019
My Victory Story
My name is Dawn and I would like to share my Victory story with you. I began smoking pot at the age of 15, and ended up in rehab at the young age of 16. I couldn’t stop completely until the age of 18, when I decided to do something positive with my life! I enrolled into The Airline Academy in St. Louis, Missouri. I was hired as an airline agent and shortly thereafter, I was transferred to Houston, where I met my husband. Life was good, and got even better when we had our little baby girl! We decided to move back to Illinois to raise our daughter and after 18 years, I started drinking and trying out drugs here and there. Our marriage started falling apart and my husband decided he wanted a divorce. I fell into a depression and I just didn’t care what happened to me. I started embezzling at my job and was charged and convicted by my long-time employer and did some time in jail. After I was released, I moved back to Houston TX.
My drinking was so excessive, I didn’t even realize that I had become a functioning alcoholic, and my stomach became an open ulcer, which caused me to end up in the hospital at 11pm on a Sunday night being prepped for surgery. My Dr. warned me that if I did this again, it would kill me.
With a scar the length of my stomach, I promised to quit drinking. Did I stop? NO!! And two months later, the ulcer in my stomach opened back up!
It was time for real help!!! My mother received a flyer from Victory Family Outreach Ministries and here is where my Victory Story REALLY begins. I stayed with Victory as a resident for a little over 3 years and after graduating, I began working as the Appropriation Manager in the office and full-time Children’s Ministry Director, where I am still employed today.
My Victory Story continues because of Victory Family Outreach. Their Christ-centered approach to recovery still resonates in all I do both in the office and with the children. I believe God knows
how much I want to help these children before the world does to them what it did to me.
Thank you and God Bless
Dawn Hedin AKA Faithful Faith