LAWRENCEBURG, Ky. (LEX 18) — The sort of family fun that was found at a “recovery Halloween party” in Anderson County has been something that Vanessa Mcroberts has only been able to dream of.
When she was facing addiction, she lost her kids to her parents. She was addicted to drugs and alcohol and had been going from couch to couch, she said. It has meant she has missed her kids last 3 Halloween.
“My kids were the one thing I lost, and when I lost them I lost everything,” she said, failing to fight back tears “So, I gave up, I gave up hope, I gave up my home, I gave up everything.”
While in jail she realized she had a chance to give her kids a better future, saying it was important because her kids would not stay little forever.
She’s been clean a year, and has been helping Margaret Cotton with her “We Recovery” group. They put on the Halloween party.
“There's really not a long to do in the surrounding counties for people in the recovery community so we thought we would have a big recovery Halloween party,” Cotton said. Like Mcroberts, she also faced addiction, showing people can change
“I terrorized this neighborhood, I was one that was of the worst of the worst, i stole from people and to give back to this community and to help this community touches my heart to no end,” she said.
Cotton wants people to know there can be fun in recovery, as shown by their event. It’s an event that matters a lot to Mcroberts.
It was a chance for people to connect with others who understand what they have gone through, reconnect with friends, and spend time with their kids - that includes Vanessa.
“Now that I can be part of my kids' life and I have a home and can do stuff with them it is absolutely amazing because they don’t have to worry where their mother will go at night,” Mcroberts said.
