MEDFORD, Ore. — A family is reunited after years of drug use and trouble with the law. Kristin Trujillo and Joel Loman now have their whole family under one roof just months after graduating from OnTrack Inpatient programs.
“I thought it was gonna go on forever,” Kristin Trujillo’s son, Nathon said.
Nathon is a pretty normal ten-year-old. He’s in school, plays football and has a relatively normal life now. But the last few years were anything but stable.
“My son was only four or five, my oldest, and I actually went to prison in 2013, and I did 18 months. When I got out, my son,18 months old, didn’t even really recognize who I was,” Kristin said.
Kristin Trujillo is Nathon’s mom.
“That was devastating, but even then, it still wasn’t enough. I didn’t know what bottom was. I thought going to prison and being away from my son, my firstborn, I thought all that was hitting the bottom.”
Kristin and her boyfriend Joel have been together for about seven years. They have a baby together, created a life together but for much of their time together they were on the run. Kristin said she wanted to be clean, especially as she got pregnant for the second time, but it was just something she couldn’t stick with. Even with a new addition to the family.
“We weren’t thinking about the kids,” Kristin said.
The couple dealt drugs, got high and even isolated themselves from their family and friends to stay in what they considered at the time to be bliss.
“To be honest, it was so exhausting. I felt like I was looking over my shoulder. We were worried about us and staying out of trouble,” Kristin said.
However, sobriety was forced on Kristin when she violated her parole and both she and Joel were taken to prison.
“They took my baby from me, and then they wouldn’t let me pack or anything and so I just went to jail, and I didn’t know what was going to happen. At that point, I was at my bottom. Going to jail and I don’t know where my baby is and my oldest was in school and child welfare was on their way to get him too,” Kristin said.
Kristin and Joel said they decided at that moment to get sober, and they called OnTrack for help. Kristin was let into the Moms’ program the day after she got out of jail. For Joel, it took about 90 days before he got into the Dads’ program, but he says as soon as he did, he never looked back at his old life.
“I didn’t know what to expect, but I did know that I wanted to get clean. So that got me there. And once I got there, it’s really nice not to be judged. With all the things that we went through, it just made us feel like we’re in the right place. Like we were worth the work that we’re going to do,” Joel said.
“I was calling every day, trying to get into the Moms’ program and finally they knew how serious I was and I was able to get in 24 hours after I was released from jail and that started my journey,” Kristin said.
Kristin and Joel agree being sober isn’t easy, but today they live in sober living with their whole family under one roof. They thank OnTrack for giving them a life they didn’t think they could have.
“I feel like they brought the light in, you know like it just makes me want to tear up because I really, I never thought I would get clean,” Kristin said.
But their journey hasn’t been a straight path, and they say they fight every day to keep what they have now.
“If you truly, really want it, and are willing to do the work, and willing to fight for your life. It really does. Maybe you just give it a chance and not give up it really, really lucky in your life.”
And for Nathon, his family is whole once again.
“I think its finally over,” Nathon said.
If you are struggling with addiction, know there is help available but it’s up to you to take that step.
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