As part of its 50th Anniversary Celebration this year, Brighton Center has introduced a “50 Years, 50 Stories” series to highlight some of the customers, volunteers, donors, community partners or supporters who are part of its history. The Northern Kentucky Tribune has partnered with Brighton Center to share some of those firsthand accounts with our readers.
In the coming weeks, the Trib will publish individual stories that demonstrate the breadth of services Brighton Center provides in Northern Kentucky. Occasionally some slight edits may be made in the text and, to protect confidentiality, we might only provide the first name of the storyteller.
These testimonials, however, describe some of the programs and services Brighton Center has provided in its first 50 years, in the words of the people who have benefited from them.
“The way of life I was taught at Brighton has given me the courage to walk through my fears in life and come out on the other side a stronger, better person,” Tracy
My name is Tracy and I am an alcoholic. Thanks to God’s grace, Brighton Center, the program of AA and 12 steps, and my sponsor, I have been sober since December 10th, 2009.
For twenty years, I could admit I was an alcoholic, but deep down I couldn’t—or didn’t want to—do anything about it. I would want to do just enough to get people off of my back until I could figure out a way to control my drinking.
I began having serious consequences when I left my children with my husband and gave up my almost twenty year marriage.
When I lost my career as a nurse, things got out of hand because I no longer had reason to control my drinking and drug use. I drank to get rid of the pain I had and then even more to cover up the pain that I caused everyone else.
Within months, I was living in terrible conditions—ignoring how or why I ended up there. I thought of myself as the victim. I could barely stay sober long enough for visits with my children. I was going to AA and working a few steps, never believing that it would really work for me.
No matter how much I drank, the pain just wouldn’t go away.
At one point, I was told that I should just kill myself so my children could just grieve me and get on with their lives. I then set out on a mission to do just that.
Every morning I would wake up, angry at God for allowing me to live. Thankfully, God had other plans for me. I realized I couldn’t stand to live and obviously God wasn’t letting me die.
I was told about Brighton Recovery Center and was willing to try.
A long term rehab center scared me, but I knew at this point I had absolutely nothing to lose. I walked into the place that changed my life, as well as that of my family’s, on December 10th, 2009 for a six-to-nine-month program. 14 months later I graduated that program—a totally new person, somebody I think God wants me to be.
Brighton Center opened my eyes, forced me to sit still, and allow God to work in my life through others. The caring staff and other residents loved me back to life, and introduced me to the true fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. Though definitely not easy at times, getting through the rough times at BRC taught me how to get through the rough times in life today.
The way of life I was taught at Brighton has given me the courage to walk through my fears in life and come out on the other side a stronger, better person.
With that courage and God at my side, I was able to become a mother to my children again and a daughter to my parents. I was able to get my nursing license back, realizing I could stay sober if I continue to do what I have been taught.
Only God knows if or when I would have ever gotten sober without Brighton Center. I am very grateful and thankful that they were there when I needed and wanted this new way of life.
From its beginning in 1966 as a modest Newport storefront, Brighton Center has grown to provide a range of programs and services which include meeting basic needs, adult and early childhood education, workforce development, substance abuse recovery for women, affordable housing, financial education and counseling, and neighborhood based programs.
Last year Brighton Center impacted the lives of 60,892 individuals from infants to senior citizens through 37 programs in Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati
For more information about Brighton Center and its programs and services, or to become a volunteer, click here http://www.brightoncenter.com/