Series

PART V: FINDING A NEW BEGINNING

Reporter's Notebook

Mary first called us because she wanted to make a difference. She
wanted to use her own life to show others the horrors of
methamphetamine addiction.

And she did. It would be easy to judge Mary on the surface. She's
certainly made mistakes, some with potentially devastating consequences.

She may not deserve your sympathy, but she does deserve your attention.

There are lessons to be learned. Don't we all have addictions,
compulsions or bad habits that are holding us back?

Despite the weaknesses she's given in to over and over in her life,
it was an act of courage to put them on display in the hopes she
might help someone.

Detective Dave LeGros said he often sees the same people committing
the same crimes. And, he said, the sad truth is that their children
often follow in their footsteps.

But, he said, he can't feel sorry for people who turn to drugs
because their parents did. He said people must make their own
decisions, break the cycle.

"Wrong is wrong, and right is right," he reasoned.

And he's correct.

But children of drug addicts do have a particular burden, and the
only way to overcome it is to choose a different life.

So far, Mary hasn't been able to break the cycle. But that doesn't
mean she won't. And her children still have their lives ahead of them.

In getting to know Mary, it's easy to like her. She has a laugh that
makes you believe everything's going to be OK, and a natural
enthusiasm that's contagious.

She sincerely loves her children.

It's a tragedy that not only has she missed out on being a mother,
but her kids have missed out on having a mother. She could be a good one.

And the community has missed having someone who could be a positive influence.

This final part of this series was the most difficult to write, as it
became clear that Mary was not going to stay clean.

Although it wasn't the ending I'd first anticipated, I think there is
still hope.

I was talking to Sheriff Kenny Furlong, whose own daughter has
battled meth addiction.

As a sheriff and father, he shared his insight.

"With meth, there are no happy endings," he said. "If you're lucky,
there's a new beginning."