I was a junior in high school when I found out about my dad's pill addiction. Two days later, he was preparing to go to rehab. Ever since then, my life has been a big, crazy roller coaster. Little did I know that many people have stories like mine or just a story in general. Everyone makes choices too. We have the choice to let our story define who we are or we can write our own story.

While my dad was in rehab, money was very tight. I was a junior in high school and my sister was in middle school playing soccer. I took all of it really tough. I slacked off in school and had to come to the realization of why my dad was never really there for me. In the meantime, I was also having to step up in the house and help my mom as much as I can. I never thought that this was "just the beginning". Dad missed stuff because of his rehab. He missed my last year of cheerleading tryouts for high school and other little end of the year things. But hey, he was in rehab getting help.

Once he got out, he was better than ever. He never touched them again. It was hard getting used to my actual dad. I was so used to my dad on pills. This felt a lot better. A lot like family. Sure, there was still some nervousness because we did not want him to relapse, but things were turning up. I thought, "This is it! Normal family now."

Wrong.

It was Christmas break of my sophomore year in college. Dad was acting weird. Not like he was on pills weird, but like something else was wrong weird. He had major mood swings. One minute he hated me and my mom, next minute he is sorry and he doesn't hate me. Christmas break was hell. Christmas was hell. Why? Him. He made it that way. Any second that you were actually enjoying yourself, it got ruined because he decided to be a jerk. He would take his keys and leave for hours at a time and then come back saying he needed to "blow off steam". While I was back at my college, I found out he started "living" in my room. He would not come out and talk to anyone. He would eat all of our food and leave us hungry.

Oh yeah, and did I mention? He got laid off before Christmas break. He never made an effort to go and find a new job. Instead, my mom is working and working just to pay the bills and provide for us. He would only talk to my sister. Not to me and not to mom. Well, I needed a place to sleep when I came home to visit, so he took a tent and camped outside. He only came in to use the restroom and eat. Did not acknowledge me. Can you imagine? It was awkward, confusing, aggravating, and sad.

After I had been back at Perk for a while, I get the call that my dad left. He grabbed what he could and left. He left a small sum of money for my sister to give us and that was it. No goodbyes, nothing. He would no longer answer any of our texts, calls, or messages. If he did answer mine, it would be "K". No other response. Turns out, we found out through social media that he went back to his childhood town in Florida. He heavily drank every single day while he was there and made stupid choices. When he did respond to my mom, it was to tell her that he as headed to go take Madison, my sister, with him. We were afraid. Mom bought new locks for the doors, we made sure we had everything locked and that there would be no way he could get in. He never did come like he said he would, but for everyday he was gone, we lived in fear.

Eventually, weeks and weeks later he came home and had stopped drinking and got a job. Let's fast forward to right as I am leaving for USM... he became the raging alcoholic again. I had to leave my mom and my sister there so I could move on and create a new life and a better future for us. The second day I was at USM, I broke down. It was an awful day. I felt like I made a stupid decision, but at the same time I didn't. There were so many conflicting feelings, but thank God I made some awesome friendships so soon because my staff was behind me, hugging me, telling me it will all be okay.

This is my story. My choice is to get where I want to be in life. My choice is to create a great future for myself. My choice is to never be like my dad or even make the same decisions my dad has made.

We all have a story. We all have the choice to live our life through that story, or to make a new one. You have the chance to be the best person you want to be in life. You can do this. Stay motivated, stay level-headed, stay humble, and stay strong. We all have gone through something in our life, but we have the strength to get through it. God would never give us something we could not handle. I am here, so that means you will make it through too.