This is a story you will not want to pass up. One that will leave you inspired and reminded of the power of resilience.
At Leaving Mayhem, we share stories like these to inspire others to overcome adversity and to show that no matter how dark things may seem, there is always a path to redemption and growth.
Alexsis was living in yet another sober house, working at a halfway house for women in Boston. Every day, she drove by “Methadone Mile,” a place infamous for its open-air drug market and the desperate lives it showcased. The temptation grew stronger with each passing day until, one day, she gave in. That decision spiraled her life into chaos. She lost her job, her home, and found herself living on Mass Ave as a homeless drug addict.
One night, as she walked down the avenue looking for meth, a man offered to help her. She followed him to his tent, trusting him blindly. But instead of finding what she was looking for, Alexsis was pulled inside and brutally assaulted by three men. The attack was so violent that she needed surgery for her injuries. She was left shattered, both physically and emotionally, begging the men to end her life. But they didn’t. They let her go.
Bleeding and in agony, Alexsis managed to reach her car. Desperate and defeated, she decided that her life was no longer worth living. She called her mom to say goodbye, but in that moment of despair, her family rallied around her, reminding her of how much she was loved. Even though Alexsis couldn’t see it, their love for her never wavered.
“But in that dark moment, that was so serene and had no sound, there was no more suffering, finally the peace I’ve found.”
Alexsis wrote this poem in detox, describing it as the one place that was quiet, where she wasn’t suffering—when she was dead. She is so grateful she didn’t give up and is grateful to be alive.
Her husband found her and took her to detox, where she received treatment for her injuries. The road to recovery was long and painful, but Alexsis stayed clean from that night forward. She celebrates her clean date as January 31, 2023.
Today, she works in crisis intervention, helping others who are struggling just like she once did. She has her kids back full-time, and her life has transformed in ways she never thought possible.
Alexsis’s journey is a testament to the power of resilience and the importance of not giving up, no matter how dark things may seem. She’s living proof that even in the face of unimaginable adversity, there is always hope, and there is always a way forward. Her words, “if I can do it, you can too,” echo a message of courage and possibility, encouraging others to believe in their own potential for change.
You can follow Alexsis on her Instagram @lexaldrich2
