Born in Armourdale, Kansas, Amber was the first of 8 children. While her mother struggled with substance use disorder earlier in her childhood, Amber recalls she was well loved and spoiled as a child. As her mother regained and maintained her sobriety, she was a huge part of Amber's life as well as her grandchildren's lives. Meeting who would be her future husband, Max, in kindergarten, that invisible thread would reappear later on in her life with the pair coming back together. As she entered into her teenage years, Amber began experimenting with substances. By 17 years old, she was involved in gangs, drugs, and her grandmother insisted she move to another town to escape the trajectory she was on. While she was able to get sober after having her first 2 children, Amber fell back into addiction after the loss of her beloved grandmother.  In 2011, Amber was sober and reconnected with Max who was deep in his addiction, and the couple soon learned they were pregnant with twins. Amber gave Max ultimatum to leave with her and move away from where they were living, or he would lose her; Max made the decision to leave with his family and started working various programs to regain control of his life. With a house full of their children and Amber's bonus daughters, Kaylee and Becca, their hearts were just as full. At the age of 14, Kaylee was introduced to opiates by her aunt. Amber and Max were furious as they navigated conversations with Kaylee about the dangers of opiates. Kaylee's biological mother struggled with substances which later intertwined with Kaylee's addiction as she spiraled out of control. In 2023, Max and Amber received a call that would devastate and change the course of their entire lives. Following the loss of their daughter to fentanyl poisoning, they were angry and seeking purpose. After losing 4 loved ones in the span of less than 18 months to overdoses, Amber wanted to wage a war on fentanyl, educate, and provide resources to those battling their own substance use disorder. In 2024, Max and Amber started the foundation, Kaylee's Dad is Mad, that has been providing resources to the community since 2023. To learn more about how you can raise awareness and join the fight to save lives, please visit https://www.kayleesdadismad.com/. To Amber, Max, and the countless families who have said goodbye far, far too soon to their loved ones, we stand by you in this battle.

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Born overseas into a miliary family, Matt describes living on a miliary base as a "sheltered life." In 6th grade, he experienced the culture shock of living off the base and Matt felt "left behind" when it came time to fitting in with his new peers. As he began to search for where he belonged in this new world, he struggled to find acceptance. Matt recalls the first time he tried methamphetamine was in the school bathroom during 8th grade in middle school. At the age of 15 years old, there is one moment that would change the course of Matt's entire life. The anguish and guilt Matt carried with him following this terrible accident left him searching for a way to escape the nightmares and flashbacks. His addiction spiraled out of control as he entered the juvenile prison as a teenager convicted of vehicular homicide. Always at the forefront of his mind, he was consumed by grief and regret. Matt explains how this mistake that he made went on to impact the rest of his life. A high school education was replaced with a "criminal education" that led into adulthood. Incarceration and addiction became an endless cycle for Matt until he was given an opportunity to complete residential substance use disorder treatment. It has taken Matt more than three decades to find a way to cope, free of substances, and eventually forgive himself. Matt, we wish you the very best in your journey!

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Born in Maryland to a military family, Kelby moved across the country as a child until landing in Kansas at the age of 8 years old. He describes some of the challenges that came with moving around a lot as a child because it was hard to develop ties. The bouncing around from place to place continued for the military family even after settling down in Kansas.  Fitting in was a challenge for Kelby growing up, and he quickly learned it was easier to do “over the top” things as a child to earn the attention of his peers. With a father who was frequently absent due to his career, the family operated for long periods of time as a single parent home with a strong reliance on Kelby to help babysit his younger siblings. With aspirations of becoming a rockstar, sports and similar hobbies did not have much appeal to Kelby. Starting in 7th grade, the troublemaking that got the attention of his peers when he was younger started to lead into serious trouble. By the age of 16, Kelby was spending time on weekends partying. The catalyst for his addiction he describes started with receiving opioids after having his wisdom teeth removed. From there, he was buying pills throughout his youth. After getting kicked out of his parent’s house at the age of 18, Kelby was struggling with his mental health, homelessness, and substance use disorder. Life for Kelby was tumultuous, and he was stuck in a vicious cycle of “repeat, repeat, repeat.” Finally, he was able to break free from the cycle and now helps others do the same. Kelby, we are thrilled to have you now as a part of the Mirror family!

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Born in Chicago, Tamicka spent most of her childhood navigating life with an absent parent. She recalls going to court with her mother at just six years old. As her mother’s addiction spiraled, her presence in the home dwindled due to her substance use disorder. Tamicka shares her perspective at each stage of her life being “a little, a middle, and an adult” as a child of an incarcerated parent. Throughout her childhood, there were many heavy feelings that stemmed from her mother’s absence. Shame, self-blame, and confusion were just some of the feelings surrounding her mother’s absence. As a child, she often wondered, “Was there anything I could have done to prevent my mom from leaving?” After spending most of her childhood with her mother incarcerated, her father began a lengthy sentence in prison when Tamicka was a teenager. With her father being who raised her, this was devastating. As an adult, Tamicka quickly learned she had a passion for helping others who are facing adverse circumstances. After obtaining her Master of Science from the University of Kansas in counseling psychology, she also went on to become a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. For the past 15 years, Tamicka has been working with people to “heal, grow, and become the best version of themselves.” Now, Tamicka is a therapist who works closely with parents and children with a family member incarcerated. In 2023, Tamicka published her book, “Where Daddy Lives,” to provide a tool for parents to have conversations with their children to better understand what is happening and feelings they might have. She offers guidance for age-appropriate conversations parents can have with children that evolve over time. For more information or to purchase the book, visit https://www.tamickamonsoncounseling.com/where-daddy-lives. Dedicated to her two younger siblings and all children of incarcerated parents, Tamicka signed her book, “There is hope.” We could not agree more, and it was such an honor to meet you, Tamicka!

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Starting at just 8 years old, Jason Miles was involved in the justice system. When asked where things began to go “off track,” Jason replied, “You know, I never was on the track to begin with.” Later in life, he was able to identify much of his troubled youth, destruction of property, and rebelling against authority linked back to the anger he harbored for his father not being present. When considering what possible interventions that could’ve helped, Jason thinks he was just “too much.” Entering the prison system at 14 years old, he recalls being one of the youngest youths in the juvenile facility. After releasing from the juvenile prison, Jason’s experimentation with substances started to spiral out of control. Theft and breaking into cars eventually escalated to breaking into a gas station. Hanging around with a group of friends, they would drink, use marinara, and shoot guns. This behavior quickly turned down a dangerous path ending in tragedy. As a 17-year-old, Jason was facing murder charges for 5-20 years. While incarcerated, Jason became involved in groups that were brought into the prison to help with self-development. He started learning more about addiction, recovery, and ultimately what would be his one-way ticket out of prison. He started learning there was a different way to live his life, and his belief that he was “destined to be a knucklehead,” did not need to be his reality or future. Now, he shares all that he has learned with others in hopes he can help lead others to a life of freedom, and when times get tough, you do not need to face it alone. Jason’s story is one of redemption, hope, and the power of second chances. We wish you nothing but the best, Jason!

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Born and raised in California, Jamie said she had a good childhood from what she can remember. At just a few years old, her parents divorced which led to Jamie being raised alone by her mother. From a young age, Jamie identifies her addiction to substances really started with cigarettes following a very traumatic event. While cigarettes and alcohol use were very normalized in her home, Jamie recalls both her absent father and subsequent stepfathers struggled with drug addiction. As she describes a childhood plagued with watching her mother go from one abusive relationship to another, it was tumultuous for her to navigate. As a young adult when Jamie started experimenting with cocaine, she said from that moment on she was “chasing the drug.” From there, she went to college, found herself entering the workforce as a functioning addict, leaving one unhealthy relationship and entering a new one while her life was becoming unmanageable. For the first time in years, Jamie was able to regain her sobriety when she found out she was pregnant with her daughter, Mariah. For a few years, Jamie remained sober as she parented with the help of her mother. Jamie describes her journey through addiction and ultimately nearly a decade in federal prison. Her incredible daughter, Mariah, joined the podcast episode unsure of how much, or if she would join the discussion. To witness Mariah and Jamie’s bond, rewinding back to the past to learn how they got here today, is nothing short of inspiring. Jamie and Mariah, we wish you the very best!

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Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Eliza Barr describes her childhood as quite typical for the most part. Her parents were very protective of their large family of seven children. Reflecting on this, Eliza believes this was likely due to her parents experiencing “intense childhoods” they wanted to shield their children from. At the time of her birth, Eliza’s mother was incarcerated. With one ankle shackled to the hospital bed, Eliza shares what her mother shares with her each year on her birthday from those memories of Eliza’s delivery. At the young age of just fourteen, Eliza’s father spent decades in a cycle of incarceration. Her sophomore year in high school, her father broke this cycle with his final period of incarceration. Being a “daddy’s girl,” she describes it was very emotional for her during his absences; however, he worked very hard to be present for his children even when he could not physically be there. Eliza and her siblings developed a deep sense of empathy and caring for the “whole person” from their parents’ experiences. She shares the incredible journey of her parents and their dedication to helping others. Fueled by the passion she observed as her parents poured themselves into their community, Eliza grew up knowing she wanted to make a difference in the lives of others. She serves as the Executive Director for Reaching Out From Within, which is a national leader for rehabilitation programs for incarcerated men and women. She focuses on empowerment, education, gainful employment, and equipping people with the tools they need to be successful. Eliza, you are incredible, and we are so grateful for you sharing your tremendous story with us!

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This episode is incredibly special because Heather is sharing her journey for the first time on a public platform. Heather will tell you, “Hope is everything,” and we could not agree more. Born raised in South Central California, Heather DiDomenico Graves recalls what impacted her childhood most was childhood obesity. Reflecting, she describes how living in an area with such high beauty standards in Southern California, she struggled with lack of self-love and self-worth. With very strict parents who worked a lot, especially with her father in the military, she spent much of her time with her older siblings. In school, Heather was bullied for her weight which led her to a group where she found acceptance. Unfortunately, what she found was a “false sense of solidarity” as she began to experiment with substances at the age of twelve. From there, her story takes many curves ultimately leading her to where she is today. As a licensed cosmetologist for the past twenty years, she bought her first commercial property seven years ago. Heather’s first salon opened almost six years ago, Onyx Salon and Wellness Spa. She now has a boutique and café by Onyx as well as second salon location that has been open for nearly two years. It takes tremendous courage to tell your story; in doing so, this shows others there is a brighter tomorrow that can impact so many people.  Heather, thank you for trusting us with your story, and we wish you nothing but the best!

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Dustin Moore grew up in an idyllic setting in San Diego, California, where he surfed and lived the “country club” lifestyle. He claims his childhood was one of privilege and care, and he gravitated towards any sport he could be involved with. Starting college, that is when his life started to turn course; regarding addiction, Dustin remarks this is something you just “have in you” or you do not. He quickly felt a new, strong gravitational pull towards substances he had always stayed away from. Dustin describes when he identified as an athlete, his life was structured. When he went to college and the structure and his connections went away, he filled those voids and time with drugs, alcohol, and other people focused on “partying.” From there, his life began to spiral out of control with his addiction and a life of crime. Dustin describes his fatal flaw was not understanding the depth of his addiction, and ultimately what it would take to work his way out of. Finally, after breaking through the cycle of addiction, this is where Dustin’s life truly takes off when he learned there is much more to recovery than just abstaining from substances. In finding his purpose, he has been able to build bridges and close gaps in recovery and reentry through Artists Helping the Homeless. Dustin, we admire your passion and dedication to helping others!

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