This Mother’s Day, Odyssey House was honored to hear from three mothers in our residential treatment program — Alexis, Karla, and Kimaadah — who shared their stories of struggle, recovery, and hope. Their words speak for themselves.
Alexis D., mother of three:
“I am the proud mother of three beautiful children. I came to Odyssey House with nothing but blind faith. I didn’t have family here. And yet, there I was — on an Amtrak train for 28 hours — with my three kids in tow. Why? Because I needed help. I was hopeless. Financially broken. Homeless.
Before that train ride, I had spent six weeks trying to get into a program — any program. With or without my kids. I kept hearing the same things: ‘No open beds.’ ‘We don’t take kids older than three.’ ‘We definitely don’t have space for a mom with three children.’ I had already started giving up. I had begun the process of giving my sister temporary custody… knowing it would soon become permanent.
Then on Friday, December 5th, I got the call that saved my life. Odyssey House said, ‘We’ve got you.’ No insurance? ‘We’ve got you.’ No family here? ‘We’ll be your family.’ And when we arrived — tired, broken, sick, and exhausted — we were met with kindness, warmth, and acceptance. Odyssey House gave me what I couldn’t give myself: time, space, and the grace to heal.
To me, Odyssey House is hope. Odyssey House is home. And I am forever grateful for the chance they took on a mom who had nothing but the willingness to change.”
Karla V., mother of three:
“I am a 39-year-old first-generation Hispanic American and mom of three beautiful boys, ranging from 17 years to 9 months.
I have had drugs in my life since high school, but I always managed to pull myself back before things got out of control. Then I found myself at 38, having my third baby — my first child addicted to narcotics — and still choosing to use. I lost all three of my boys, my car, and my home. It’s safe to say my dignity had completely gone down the drain. I had never hit rock bottom like that before.
My journey began almost five months ago. I came here and decided I would never look back. I have been in recovery for almost six months. My youngest is now 9 months old and will be back by my side within a couple of weeks. I spend weekly unsupervised visits with all of my boys, and I am so ready for this next milestone.
One of the most beautiful things I’ve learned while here at Odyssey House is self-acceptance. I have been constantly bringing myself down with guilt. The thoughts of not being the ‘ideal’ mother and not doing the ideal things while pregnant with my youngest son has shattered me. I felt like I could never forgive myself. However, over the past few months, I have learned that I need to give myself grace. I might not be perfect, but I am striving to be the best I can be and to do the best I can do for all of my boys.
But what moves me most is this: Odyssey House didn’t just help me. They gave my husband a second chance, too, at another Odyssey House program. This place gave my entire family the opportunity to become a family again. For that, I cannot begin to express the gratitude I will eternally feel — for this place, and for the staff I have grown to love so much.”
Kimaadah B., mother of two:
“I didn’t know where this journey would take me, but I am glad Odyssey House was where I got off. Coming here was the best decision I ever made in my life. If I had never come here, I would probably have lost my children. I can’t even imagine that. My children mean everything to me, and seeing the smiles on their faces is the greatest feeling I can have.
I did not like the person I was becoming. I’ve done things I’m not proud of, things I’m ashamed of. But one thing I am proud of is making a change.
Being a mother struggling with addiction, people look at you like you are a bad person. People forget that we are humans too. I chose this path because I was hurting, in pain, and overwhelmed with sadness and anger. But Odyssey House never made me feel like less.
The staff has been an incredible support — allowing me to be a mother while working on my recovery. Having daycare available while I attend seminars and classes lets me focus on myself and my kids. The teachers are wonderful and make sure my children never feel left out.
This program has brought me a joy and happiness I never thought I’d get back. I finally like myself again. And that is a feeling I never want to lose.”