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Second chances...
Two years ago, the lives of Arnold Burgess and Deanna Rogers had pretty much hit rock bottom. Burgess was facing felony charges of delivering a controlled substance. Rogers was back in court for a second drunken driving offense.
But that was then. Today, it's a very different day for both individuals.
After more than two years, their lives have turned completely around. They have received a second chance at making things right -- an opportunity for redemption and a chance to break free from the addictions that once dominated their lives.
During a formal ceremony Jan. 24, they became the first from Elmore County to graduate from a program aimed at ending their dependence on alcohol and drugs once and for all.
In 2010, they were the first of four people to join the county's drug and DUI court program. Identical to speciality courts now available in 55 other locations across the state, it provides "more intensive treatment and supervision of individuals who find themselves on the wrong side of the law" due to addiction, said Elmore County Magistrate Judge George Hicks.
Ultimately, it seeks to cut down on repeat offenders, said Hicks, who oversees the alternative treatment program here.
"We all believed that this was possible," said Mike Crawford from the public defender's office as he reflected on the significance of last week's ceremony.
But the road to recovery for Burgess and Rogers was one that yielded no immediate results or simple solutions. To qualify, they agreed to submit to random drug and alcohol testing up to three times a week, which the candidates are required to help pay for. They followed a strict curfew and agreed to comply with unscheduled home visits by members of the treatment team.
In addition to holding down a job, both were required to complete at least one community service project while attending drug and alcohol recovery programs in Mountain Home.
And every week, they stood before the judge. If they remained clean and sober, they would receive a small reward, like a piece of candy or a gift card donated by local merchants -- a symbolic incentive to remain on the path to recovery.
On the other hand, stepping off that road was met with stiff, immediate penalties. Missing a treatment meeting, failing a urinalysis test or lying to the judge often meant going back to jail to get back on track.
Ultimately, the goal was to keep them focused on successfully completing the program, regardless of how long it took, according to Katie Ashby, who heads the speciality court. Depending on the nature of their addiction and the seriousness of the offense, it takes most people 18 to 24 months to graduate, she said.
Starting the program represents a "humbling experience" for these individuals, said Tim DeSantis, one of the court's treatment coordinators. When they start the program, "everything they did is out on the 'table' on what they did."
As they deal with their own guilt and remorse as they start the treatment, DeSantis said they tend to ask one very basic question -- "Why didn't I get help sooner?"
And so began their first day of what will became a nearly two-year journey filled with trials, tribulations and occasional setbacks, he added.
"On their first day, you see their nervousness," DeSantis added. "You see their uncertainty but their willingness to go through the process."
As people like catch on, you start to see them grow. It becomes contagious to others in the program."
Over time, people like Burgess and Rogers served as a source of inspiration and strength for those starting out on their own road to sobriety.
"As people catch on, you start to see them grow," DeSantis said. "It becomes contagious to others in the program. That's how the system works. That's the power of recovery."
The work that Burgess and Rogers invested over the past two years was nothing short of exceptional, according to Ashby.
After more than 15 months of documented sobriety, Burgess continues to help out the Mountain Home Visitors Center as a volunteer. In addition to helping form the drug court's alumni group, he was credited with helping organize a community coat drive last December that provided needed help to those most in need.
With more than 13 months of documented sobriety, Rogers also volunteers her time at the chamber of commerce visitors center. Along with her work to help build the drug court's alumni group, she recently completed a victims' assistance training course so she can help those affected by that form of violence.
Despite their formal graduation last week, Burgess and Rogers still have several months of intensive work ahead of them. They are now in the drug court's aftercare phase, which can last another three to six months, Ashby said.
Depending on how well they do at that point, it's possible that Hicks will dismiss the withheld judgements pending against both of them.
Wanting to express his gratitude following last week's ceremony, Burgess simply broke into tears as he hugged Ashby "for allowing me to be in the program." He went on to embrace the others who had helped him along his journey to recovery.
Rogers admitted that her own road to recover was difficult but had changed her life. The support she received over the past two years helped her understand "what living life really means," she said.
Family and friends attending last week's ceremony found it extremely challenging to fight back tears of joy as they expressed their gratitude to those who helped their loved ones regain control of their lives.
"This program saved my husband's life and our marriage," said Pam Burgess as she held onto her husband.
"You touched my heart," added Trisha Rogers as the teen thanked the court for helping her mother through her years of recovery.
Meanwhile, Kimberly Rogers, the youngest of the family's four children, was overcome with emotion and simply burst into tears before she could express her own feelings of thankfulness.
"Ultimately, that's what this program is all about. It's about family," the judge said.
For those still in the treatment program, the graduation served as a beacon of hope that they will also graduate some day.
"I see the changes in each one of us; even those who face sanctions," Burgess said. "If they're willing to do the work, they'll realize that it's worth it."