Personal Stories

Cassie’s Story:  A Case Study
By Mary Haydal

I can tell you about the last beautiful fall day of the year 2000. It was November 4th. The weather was crisp and beautiful. All of the leaves had fallen off of the trees and lay as crunchy carpet in our yard.

It was Saturday, my day off. I had a prom dress pattern and material sprawled out on the floor. I picked the pattern out myself for my 18-year-old daughter, Cassie. Cassie had an exotic beauty. She had beautiful olive skin, brown eyes with gold flicks, full lips, and flawless features. She had a slim figure and light brown shoulder-length hair. And she was very tall and graceful. She didn’t consider herself beautiful. Like most teenage girls, all she saw were the self-invented flaws.

A letter to parents
Written by James, a notMYkid ClearChoices speaker

Dear Mom and Dad,

Last night after you both went to bed, I snuck out of the house to use meth. I snuck down the stairs only stepping on the corners so they wouldn’t creek. Of course you didn’t hear me open the door because I placed a magnet by it so you wouldn’t hear the beep when I opened it. I even went so far as to put my pillows in my bed with the covers pulled up in case you came into my room. 

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