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Recovery in the News: Rally for Recovery! 2007
Celebration speakers highlight help for addicts
Kenneth Mullinax
Montgomery Advertiser
September 16, 2007
A former Auburn University football player told a group at Freewill Missionary Baptist Church that drugs pull people away from all those who love them and will eventually even make people hate themselves.
David Battle spoke at one series of community celebrations held statewide as part of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.
Battle's inspirational story as a former substance abuser has helped many people battle their addictions, said the Rev. Ed Nettles, Freewill's pastor and a committed substance abuse prevention advocate.
Battle was a talented high school athlete who received about 50 football scholarship offers from colleges across the nation, but the use of drugs sent him down a tragic path that eventually led to jail, Nettles said.
Battle was asked to be a part of Montgomery's Recovery Sunday celebration because of the story he tells of having to lose everything before gaining back his life.
"We are here to celebrate the recovery of Mr. Battle and let others know from his story that anyone bound by the chains of alcohol or drugs can break free if they will only seek help," Nettles said.
Battle was joined at Sunday's worship service by the women of LIFE TECH, a program that serves adult female felony offenders on probation or parole with a history of substance abuse. The women gave a special worship performance.
Battle said he hopes others don't have to see their lives ruined before they seek help.
He said if a person will invest in treatment and recovery, they will find a new life and have a positive impact on their family and community.
"Anything is possible if you believe, hope and work for it," Battle said.
He spoke of the many nights he spent alone in abandoned homes smoking his last piece of crack cocaine, feeling sorry for himself, knowing he was a better person, but not willing to reach out and seek help.
"I had numerous opportunities to get clean through out-pa tient addiction programs, but it took prison to clean my act up," Battle said.
He said God came to him in prison and allowed him to see he was on the road to nowhere.
While he was at the Limestone Correctional Facility, Battle met "Momma Ward," one of its staff counselors who became his mentor, helping him fight the urge to use drugs.
"Momma Ward told me, 'Let me love you until you are able to love yourself,'" Battle said.
He has been clean of drugs for years, and now serves as a counselor at the very state prison where he was once locked up.
"When Momma Ward retired, I took her place on staff. And now I can give back to the prisoners who need my help," he said.
John Houston, Alabama's Commissioner of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, was in the audience to hear Battle speak and to participate in Freewill's Recovery Sunday message.
He said the first step to recovery is recognizing you have a problem and asking someone for help.
Anyone who wants help can confidentially call their local mental health center or contact any recovery group listed in the telephone directory such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous.
"Recovery Sunday is important to help people with addiction diseases learn that recovery is possible and lots of people will help them if they will only step forward," Houston said.
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