In December 1987 Kat and Randy fell in love. In that way they are no different than any other couple. But what sets them apart is the fact that they both came from childhoods that pushed them towards drugs and alcohol, and led to them becoming addicts.
Kat Dixon was raised in a family where her dad was an alcoholic, and her six older siblings used drugs and alcohol from an early age. This left Kat surrounded by drugs and negative influences. In high school her grades began slipping…and she started using.
“Because my grades were so bad, I dropped out of high school in the 11th grade. I had little hope that I would have been able to graduate.” she says now.
Finally, out of desperation, Kat’s mom sent her to live with her older sister (who was clean). Sadly, Kat’s new stable environment didn’t last long.
“I stayed with her for about two years, until I met other people like myself who liked to party. I then moved out of my sister’s and in with a friend. I got a part-time job and began using drugs and alcohol on a daily basis.” Kat says grimly.
Finally, while visiting her mom, she met Randy, who abused drugs and alcohol as well. But, although it was detrimental, their similar backgrounds only seemed to bring them closer together.
Randy, born a single child, began smoking pot and drinking when he went to high school. Although the court system tried to get him some help, his drug usage only got worse.
“The first line I did changed my life. I stole; I lied and I hurt the people closest to me.” say Randy, now clean almost two and one half years. “I repeatedly ended up in jail and finally graduated to state prison. I felt nothing and was headed nowhere.”
After a few years, Randy chose to seek help through treatment centers, but could only maintain sobriety for short periods of time. It was during these ups and downs that he met Kat.
The couple continued to use throughout their relationship, except for the short period of time when Kat was pregnant with their daughter Breanna.
After their daughter was born, both Kat and Randy spent time in jail and saw their lives plunge downhill. It wouldn’t be until Breanna turned eleven that her parents finally turned their habits around by entering the Solutions for Change program. Solutions for Change is a 32 residential unit project built by Sun Country and opened in 2004.
“The last time Randy went to prison was February 13, 2006. I was all alone in my cousin’s garage with my daughter. I knew then that I had hit my bottom. I had heard about Solutions for Change and I knew people who had gone through the program and that their lives had really changed. It was at this time that I made up my mind that we needed to get clean so we could go into Solutions .”
Contacting Solutions , Kat and Randy admitted they had a problem and needed help. Their acceptancy into the Solutions for Change program – and by the people of Solutions – became the beginning of recovery for both Randy and Kat.
“It’s not until someone hits bottom and admits there’s a problem that we can really help them work through it.” says Tammy Megison, Co-founder with husband Chris of the Solutions for Change program. “But once we make that commitment to helping them work through the problem, Solutions can truly be life-changing.”
“I have learned to be responsible, productive, respectful and respected.” said Randy regarding the program he’s recently completed. “I have also learned how to be a father. I am now someone who can be trusted and will do the best I can in this program, with God, with my sponsor and with my family.”
Kat is just as grateful to the program, “We have a life today. In 9 months, we both had jobs, and we graduated from a drug program. We thank Solutions for Change for showing us how to do it!”
Kat, Randy and Breanna – one more family beating homelessness.
