Melissa Hayward-Tucker was caught in the grip of addiction for years, a victim of drugs and alcohol from her early teens. Growing up in a turbulent world of abandonment, domestic violence, and abuse, she faced trauma most never know. By age fourteen, she was using crack cocaine, and her life spiraled into darkness on the dangerous streets of Houston and Los Angeles, where she was left homeless, addicted, and surrounded by violence.

But on January 29, 2001, in her darkest hour, she heard a voice that sparked hope—a call to begin a journey of healing. Against all odds, she broke free from the chains that bound her and found purpose. In her powerful new book, *Caught Up: The Story of a Drug Addict’s Return to Her Roots*, Melissa recounts every raw, harrowing detail of her life in addiction, sharing the pain, trauma, and the profound resilience it took to overcome.

Today, Melissa is a wife, mother, grandmother, author, speaker, and the founder of God’s Vessel Ministries. As a gospel artist signed with Genesoul Entertainment, she has won awards for songs that inspire and uplift, including the London MP3 Music Award for “Praize Praize” and the Indie Music Channel Award for “Transformed.” Her latest single, *Freedom Ring*, is available on all platforms, celebrating her liberation and calling others to find theirs.

With a deep passion for faith, Melissa is devoted to helping women transform their lives through God’s truth and power. She believes wholeheartedly in the power of prayer and lives as a testament to God’s ability to restore and redeem.

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Intro and Outro music by:

Decisions by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100756

Artist: http://incompetech.com/