WAGONER, Okla. — Aug. 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day, and this evening, a group of neighbors in Wagoner, Oklahoma, gathered to remember those lost to drug overdose.
Angela Lindsey was among the people in Wagoner marking International Overdose Awareness Day. Her life was much different ten years ago.
"I was an IV-meth user for a number of years, in and out of jail," Lindsey said.
The perils of drug addiction can take a toll on family members, like they did on Rebecca Jones.
"You know, I was very young whenever I had lost a family member to overdose, and it was an impressionable memory that has kind of just stuck with me," Jones said.
In February, Lindsey will be ten years clean and sober. She and her husband plan to take a cruise to celebrate. Before they set sail, they’ll continue their work with the WRAP Project. WRAP stands for Working to Recover, Assist, and Prevent. They provide clothing, group therapy, and Narcan, which is used to save people who are overdosing.
It’s tough work, helping people in recovery, but Lindsey sums up what keeps her coming back.
"It’s seeing a light come back on in someone’s eyes, because when you’re in the throes of addiction, you are literally hopeless," Lindsey said.
A hopelessness she felt trying to be a parent while living with her addiction.
"The best day of my life was when my kids called me and said 'you know what, mom, we are so proud of the woman you are today," Lindsey said.
Learn more about the WRAP Project by visiting their homepage.
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