SHE KEEPS WORKING TO INDEPENDENCE, CUSTODY OF DAUGHTER

She Credits Drug Court For The Progress She's Made In Getting Free Of Drugs

ATMORE -- Dianna Wiggins is counting the days until graduation from
drug court -- but she refuses to count her chickens too soon.

"I keep working," Wiggins said Wednesday, cuddled up with her daughter
Iva. The second-grader has been living with a foster family in town as
Wiggins recovers. "And I keep Iva with me as much as I can. I feel
great about graduation, and living in the apartment has been OK, but I
can't wait to get my own place."

Wiggins, 34, wants to buy a home one day soon. She's even started
thinking again about opening her own beauty salon -- a dream she had
before methamphetamine took her freedom, her children and nearly her
life.

She said her life spiraled out of control after the sudden death of
her husband sent her into depression. She coped by making all the
wrong friends, she said, and soon began dating a man who led her into
methamphetamine use. They were arrested twice before she realized she
had to change her life.

After nearly a year in drug court, Wiggins has been drug free on every
screening. She has held a job and satisfied every other requirement to
finish the program. Drug court is a program designed to help
defendants arrested in Escambia County overcome their addictions while
erasing criminal charges from their records. Her family has supported
her and now are proud.

"I hope to be in a home of my own soon," she said. "But my first goal
is to get Iva back with me. I'm learning to fit taking her to school
around my work schedule. I pick her up in the evenings. My mom wants
to be sure I can do it on my own."

Wiggins still has problems with her everyday life, she said. Her
oldest daughter, Nicole, quit school weeks ago at 17. Wiggins is
trying to encourage Nicole to get a GED.

She has fewer treatment sessions now, and goes to court only once a
month. She said she is ready to face life unsupervised.

"I feel like I have it licked," she said. "I can't say if another
tragedy comes into my life just how I will deal with it, but at least
I know how to process it. My old friends -- I still greet them when I
see them, but they know I'm not involv ed with it anymore. It doesn't
go past a hello."

Wiggins is supporting her 12-year-old son in football training. She's
looking forward to cheering him on at games next fall.

The boy lives with other relatives. Nicole lives with
Wiggins.

"Drug court has been a blessing," she said. "That's what it took to
get me on the right track. If it had not been for that, I never would
have come this far.

"I've thought about going back to school for cosmetology, buying some
land, maybe open my own business and do nails and hair," she said.
"That was my dream a long time ago. I just never did anything about
it. "

But now, she said, she has goals for her life, boundaries to guide
her, dreams for herself and her children.

"Working at Huddle House has been a blessing," she said. "But I know I
don't want to wait on tables forever. I'm excited -- but I'm taking
one day at a time. I'm ready to start life without supervision. I
already have in a way. It will be like the leash is off, but I won't
be doing anything different except not going to Brewton for court."

And Wiggins will catch up on normal things like family vacations,
football games and gymnastics with 8-year-old daughter Iva. Her kids,
she said, deserve her undivided attention. She said she's got some
catching up and making up to do.

"I missed a lot of things in three years," she said. "I owe them some
time. We are going somewhere special."