I woke up on my parents couch hungover, confused and disoriented. It was Easter Sunday 2016. Resurrection day.
I cycled the tiny fragments of the previous day I had in my memory. I tried to piece together what the hell happened. Why am I here? Why am I not in my own bed with my wife Olivia? Where is my daughter? I notice my parents sitting on the sofa across from me with the look of disappointment and concern. We have a bit of small talk, they say something along the lines of “You were snoring pretty bad last night”. They fill me in on the part of the story they know. As I listen, I am embarrassed and in disbelief. I’ve experienced blackouts before but none this severe.
A party was planned that day at my parents house with the entire family. Olivia showed up an hour early with my daughter Faye. I didn’t know what to expect, would she be hysterical with sadness or exploding with anger? No, her demeanor was different… she was done.
She was calm but firm as she explained to my parents exactly what I had done the day before. I don’t think she realized at the time that she was also explaining the day to me. As she spoke I was mortified.
I put my daughters life in danger…
You see my sweet girl in this photo, she is my world along with my boy Phoenix. If something would have happened to her that day I would not have gone to prison, I would simply cease to exist.
That day I rolled away the stone to see a new way of life. I surrendered. I stopped making excuses and started putting in the work to heal. I only wish I had done it sooner.
Thank you God for second chances.
