Recovery Hero: Ashley Crockett

Our Recovery hero of the week, Ashley Crockett!!! The camel is just there for support.
My name is Ashley Crockett and I have been in recovery for twenty-nine years. One day I awakened in the midst of wreckage caused my substance abuse;I felt I couldn’t go on the way I was living and I wanted to die. It was my birthday. When the irony of that moment dawned on me, I made the choice to recover my life.

That day represented a culmination of many lows, not the least of which was being arrested at gunpoint. I had to get into a lot of trouble before I could understand that I had serious drug and alcohol problems and be willing to participate fully in changing my course in life.

Over the years, I’ve received critical acclaim for my artistic talents as a performer and was awarded “Best Actress” twice by the Pikes Peak Arts Council. As a poet, my insights and critique are valued by some highly intelligent well-educated people and I’m proud to claim a place in the company of world travelers and lifelong learners.

External validations aside, what I’m truly most proud of is that, despite enduring what were for me extremely painful experiences such as deaths, potentially fatal diseases and divorce, I haven’t resorted to using any of the old familiar painkillers that were once my entire existence.

Because I struggled so much with lapses, learning most of my lessons the hard way during the years prior to total commitment to recovery, I have a heart for the newcomer and am willing to give my attention especially to those whose journey seems as difficult as mine.