DAYTON, Ohio — One family in Dayton learned that the way out of the darkest depths of addiction was by leaning on the strength of their mother.
Now the family is ready to celebrate a milestone in sobriety at the Families of Addicts Rally 4 Recovery.
When you walk into Joe’s Landscaping in Fairborn you find Noah Chromey, who always has his hands full with projects.
Chromey said keeping busy is a good thing, because “idle hands are the devil's playground.”
“When I was using all the time, I still managed to come to work, but I was working to pay to get more drugs,” Chromey said.
Chromey is in long-term addiction recovery from using heroin.
However, he wasn’t the only one in his family struggling with drug addiction.
Chelsa Lawhorn, Chromey’s niece, has been on a rollercoaster battle with substance abuse since she was a teen.
“Once I was in my early 20s after my firstborn, I started using heroin,” Lawhorn said.
She said she used drugs heavily in-between her three pregnancies, transitioning to meth, which led to her rock bottom moment.
“My life continued to spiral out of control,” she said. “And, I tried to get clean — it didn’t work. Couldn’t stay clean for more than a month at a time.”
Chromey also sought treatment.
He was clean for a while but relapsed for a year before his wake-up call.
“I was having friends who were overdosing in front of me,” he said. “Luckily, none of them died, but I didn’t wanna be next.”
Through both of their struggles, there was one person who never left their corner.
Becky Walsh is Chromey’s mother and Lawhorn’s grandma.
She’s a nurse by profession, so she never hesitated to open her door to loved ones to help them get clean.
“I see them both as my heroes,” Walsh said. “It was hard, you know, what they’ve done.”
Walsh said it was not an easy process for anyone, but it taught her a lot about herself and her children.
“It’s a learning process,” Walsh said. “It’s all about patience, love and hope.”
Walsh turned to Families of Addicts, a nonprofit organization in Dayton for support to help her family through the toughest of times.
“Just being in a room (with people) who understand what I’m going through,” Walsh said. “To understand what it’s like to have a loved one who is out there risking their life every day using.”
In 2020, Ohio ranked as the fourth highest state in the nation for accidental overdose deaths, according to data from the CDC.
On Aug. 29, the FOA is holding its 8th annual Rally 4 Recovery, where an estimated 3,000 people gather on Courthouse Square in downtown Dayton to celebrate their journey to recovery.
“It’s very powerful,” Walsh said. “It’s just an uplifting, joyful celebration of recovery.”
Chromey is doing well at his job in Fairborn and Lawhorn just earned a promotion where she works.
So, there’s much to celebrate at the rally this year, but both Chromey and Lawhorn say they wouldn’t be here without their rock.
“I definitely couldn’t have done it without my mom,” Chromey said. “She’s the most important one of them all. She stood behind me and was there for me every time that I needed her. It really meant a lot that she was there.”
Lawhorn agreed.
“I was completely broken,” Lawhorn said. “She was willing to build myself back up in the right way. I have a strong appreciation for everyone in my family and I love them very much.”
For more information on the rally, visit the FOA website.
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