My name is Mary Jeanne and I have been at Justin’s Place for ten months. I am forever grateful for the new life I’ve been given.
I’m originally from Cape Coral, Florida. I’m from a really big family of seven kids—I’m number six. I went to private school my whole life and I was given every opportunity. I have amazing parents.
But I started getting a little bit crazy in high school when I began drinking and partying. It got really out of control when I injured my knee and the doctor put me on painkillers. I was hooked from the moment I began.
I was 14 years old and my addiction progressively got worse. At home, we received the heartbreaking news that my oldest brother was killed while serving in Afghanistan. My brother’s death was really devastating for us—he was the rock of our family. He had a really strong relationship with God, and one of the last times he spoke with my mom, he felt he had reached the apex of his life at 28 years old. He said he accomplished everything he ever wanted to in life, and if he died tomorrow, he knew he would go to heaven. I really aspired to be like my brother, but I started using more and my addiction continued to progress. My family begged me to get help, but I didn’t want to acknowledge I had a problem.
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At that point, I had no hope. I thought nobody could ever forgive me, and I wasn’t worthy of anyone’s love. I stole from my family and everyone around me to get drugs. I overdosed twice in five days, once waking up in an ambulance. That still wasn’t enough: two days after the second time I overdosed I ended up in jail. I was so ashamed I didn’t call my family for two weeks. They knew I was in jail and I was safe, but I didn’t want to ask my family for help.
I prayed to God to give me the strength and courage, for the sake of my family and my daughter, to get clean. While in jail, I met a woman who told me about Justin’s Place. After I spoke with her something inside of me sparked.
Justin’s Place and St. Matthew’s House has changed my life. I’m nearing the end of my time at Justin’s Place, and the relationship I have now with God is amazing. The peace I have in my life is like nothing I’ve ever experienced, and I never thought I could be a calm person because I’ve always been anxious.
My mom gave me a little picture for Valentine’s Day and it says: “We rise by lifting others.” That really touched me because I want to give back. One day I want to help other women. I want to inspire others. I want to plant a little seed of hope in other women, just like what happened to me. I want to show them that God creates miracles every day.
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