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Spotlight on Recovery; Derick Balkcom


Viewed: 1686

Posted by: Staff
Date: Jul 30 2021 1:04 PM

HOLMES COUNTY: A vital component of combating the presence of drugs in our community is understanding that behind every drug arrest is a story - a story of someone who has lost their way and a family that has been torn apart by addiction.


Sheriff John Tate’s focus on assisting those struggling with addiction to find lasting recovery is just one step in healing families and giving those stories a chance to have a happy ending. Arrest itself is not an ending. Instead, it can be a new beginning.


Each month, we share a story from individuals who have successfully completed a drug rehabilitative program through the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office and are now enjoying a new, fulfilled life of recovery.


Their journey. Their words. A message of hope for us all.


The July 2021 Spotlight on Recovery story comes from Derick Balkcom:


My name is Derick Balkcom and here is my story.


I was raised on a farm in Chipley Fl. I have a sister and a brother. I didn’t come from a broken home but my mother was sick and battled depression all of my life.


Growing up my dad was a very stern and tough man. My parents both loved me very much. At a very young age I developed a love for sports, especially football. I had an extreme passion for the game.


Also at a very young age I was a very large kid and was gifted athletically for such a large kid. Early on I began to be groomed for a future in sports, maybe even a career. Time went on I continued to develop and by my sophomore year I was being recruited by major universities as an offensive lineman. Something else happened during that time, at the age of 15 I took a drink for the first time and it was an instant love affair. I thought it was the greatest thing I’d ever discovered. I could escape who I was and everything that I was dealing with.


The pressure of who I was along with the pressure of who I was suppose to be no longer mattered. I began to greatly under achieve in the classroom and on the field. I went from being one of the top 50 prospects In the nation as a junior to a risk that many universities were not willing to take a chance on.


My options had become limited but a few were willing to take a shot and I eventually signed a full football scholarship at Auburn University. By this time I was in full swing of a double life. In the attempt to be desired and needed on both spectrums of life I become involved in selling but my appetite quickly overcame the business side. I reported to Auburn and began my career being redshirted my first year and actually saw playing time as a backup my second season.


Going into my sophomore season I started on some special teams but about the third game week of the season I was diagnosed with cancer. I made the decision to come home for the chemo and radiation which lasted about a year.


During that time the pot and pain pill use really amped up. After a year I was officially in remission from cancer. After meeting with my coaches we determined that my playing career was done but my scholarship was still being honored as would pursue a career in college coaching.


After a year or more the endless opportunity for a party on a college campus was too much and the monster that was my addiction was ruling my life and I flunked out of school. Coming home and living years of the same dead end pattern, I would soon run into a monster that changed my life for the worst.


In 1997 I was introduced to methamphetamine. From that point on my drug of choice was whatever and wash it down with large amounts of booze.


In 2003 in the midst of a life in shambles I was given an amazing blessing. Twin boys. I continued dow


A vital component of combating the presence of drugs in our community is understanding that behind every drug arrest is a story - a story of someone who has lost their way and a family that has been torn apart by addiction.


Sheriff John Tate’s focus on assisting those struggling with addiction to find lasting recovery is just one step in healing families and giving those stories a chance to have a happy ending. Arrest itself is not an ending. Instead, it can be a new beginning.


Each month, we share a story from individuals who have successfully completed a drug rehabilitative program through the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office and are now enjoying a new, fulfilled life of recovery.


Their journey. Their words. A message of hope for us all.


The July 2021 Spotlight on Recovery story comes from Derick Balkcom:


My name is Derick Balkcom and here is my story.


I was raised on a farm in Chipley Fl. I have a sister and a brother. I didn’t come from a broken home but my mother was sick and battled depression all of my life.


Growing up my dad was a very stern and tough man. My parents both loved me very much. At a very young age I developed a love for sports, especially football. I had an extreme passion for the game.


Also at a very young age I was a very large kid and was gifted athletically for such a large kid. Early on I began to be groomed for a future in sports, maybe even a career. Time went on I continued to develop and by my sophomore year I was being recruited by major universities as an offensive lineman. Something else happened during that time, at the age of 15 I took a drink for the first time and it was an instant love affair. I thought it was the greatest thing I’d ever discovered. I could escape who I was and everything that I was dealing with.


The pressure of who I was along with the pressure of who I was suppose to be no longer mattered. I began to greatly under achieve in the classroom and on the field. I went from being one of the top 50 prospects In the nation as a junior to a risk that many universities were not willing to take a chance on.


My options had become limited but a few were willing to take a shot and I eventually signed a full football scholarship at Auburn University. By this time I was in full swing of a double life. In the attempt to be desired and needed on both spectrums of life I become involved in selling but my appetite quickly overcame the business side. I reported to Auburn and began my career being redshirted my first year and actually saw playing time as a backup my second season.


Going into my sophomore season I started on some special teams but about the third game week of the season I was diagnosed with cancer. I made the decision to come home for the chemo and radiation which lasted about a year.


During that time the pot and pain pill use really amped up. After a year I was officially in remission from cancer. After meeting with my coaches we determined that my playing career was done but my scholarship was still being honored as would pursue a career in college coaching.


After a year or more the endless opportunity for a party on a college campus was too much and the monster that was my addiction was ruling my life and I flunked out of school. Coming home and living years of the same dead end pattern, I would soon run into a monster that changed my life for the worst.


In 1997 I was introduced to methamphetamine. From that point on my drug of choice was whatever and wash it down with large amounts of booze.


In 2003 in the midst of a life in shambles I was given an amazing blessing. Twin boys. I continued dow


A vital component of combating the presence of drugs in our community is understanding that behind every drug arrest is a story - a story of someone who has lost their way and a family that has been torn apart by addiction.


Sheriff John Tate’s focus on assisting those struggling with addiction to find lasting recovery is just one step in healing families and giving those stories a chance to have a happy ending. Arrest itself is not an ending. Instead, it can be a new beginning.


Each month, we share a story from individuals who have successfully completed a drug rehabilitative program through the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office and are now enjoying a new, fulfilled life of recovery.


Their journey. Their words. A message of hope for us all.


The July 2021 Spotlight on Recovery story comes from Derick Balkcom:


My name is Derick Balkcom and here is my story.


I was raised on a farm in Chipley Fl. I have a sister and a brother. I didn’t come from a broken home but my mother was sick and battled depression all of my life.


Growing up my dad was a very stern and tough man. My parents both loved me very much. At a very young age I developed a love for sports, especially football. I had an extreme passion for the game.


Also at a very young age I was a very large kid and was gifted athletically for such a large kid. Early on I began to be groomed for a future in sports, maybe even a career. Time went on I continued to develop and by my sophomore year I was being recruited by major universities as an offensive lineman. Something else happened during that time, at the age of 15 I took a drink for the first time and it was an instant love affair. I thought it was the greatest thing I’d ever discovered. I could escape who I was and everything that I was dealing with.


The pressure of who I was along with the pressure of who I was suppose to be no longer mattered. I began to greatly under achieve in the classroom and on the field. I went from being one of the top 50 prospects In the nation as a junior to a risk that many universities were not willing to take a chance on.


My options had become limited but a few were willing to take a shot and I eventually signed a full football scholarship at Auburn University. By this time I was in full swing of a double life. In the attempt to be desired and needed on both spectrums of life I become involved in selling but my appetite quickly overcame the business side. I reported to Auburn and began my career being redshirted my first year and actually saw playing time as a backup my second season.


Going into my sophomore season I started on some special teams but about the third game week of the season I was diagnosed with cancer. I made the decision to come home for the chemo and radiation which lasted about a year.


During that time the pot and pain pill use really amped up. After a year I was officially in remission from cancer. After meeting with my coaches we determined that my playing career was done but my scholarship was still being honored as would pursue a career in college coaching.


After a year or more the endless opportunity for a party on a college campus was too much and the monster that was my addiction was ruling my life and I flunked out of school. Coming home and living years of the same dead end pattern, I would soon run into a monster that changed my life for the worst.


In 1997 I was introduced to methamphetamine. From that point on my drug of choice was whatever and wash it down with large amounts of booze.


In 2003 in the midst of a life in shambles I was given an amazing blessing. Twin boys. I continued dow


A vital component of combating the presence of drugs in our community is understanding that behind every drug arrest is a story - a story of someone who has lost their way and a family that has been torn apart by addiction.


Sheriff John Tate’s focus on assisting those struggling with addiction to find lasting recovery is just one step in healing families and giving those stories a chance to have a happy ending. Arrest itself is not an ending. Instead, it can be a new beginning.


Each month, we share a story from individuals who have successfully completed a drug rehabilitative program through the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office and are now enjoying a new, fulfilled life of recovery.


Their journey. Their words. A message of hope for us all.


The July 2021 Spotlight on Recovery story comes from Derick Balkcom:


My name is Derick Balkcom and here is my story.


I was raised on a farm in Chipley Fl. I have a sister and a brother. I didn’t come from a broken home but my mother was sick and battled depression all of my life.


Growing up my dad was a very stern and tough man. My parents both loved me very much. At a very young age I developed a love for sports, especially football. I had an extreme passion for the game.


Also at a very young age I was a very large kid and was gifted athletically for such a large kid. Early on I began to be groomed for a future in sports, maybe even a career. Time went on I continued to develop and by my sophomore year I was being recruited by major universities as an offensive lineman. Something else happened during that time, at the age of 15 I took a drink for the first time and it was an instant love affair. I thought it was the greatest thing I’d ever discovered. I could escape who I was and everything that I was dealing with.


The pressure of who I was along with the pressure of who I was suppose to be no longer mattered. I began to greatly under achieve in the classroom and on the field. I went from being one of the top 50 prospects In the nation as a junior to a risk that many universities were not willing to take a chance on.


My options had become limited but a few were willing to take a shot and I eventually signed a full football scholarship at Auburn University. By this time I was in full swing of a double life. In the attempt to be desired and needed on both spectrums of life I become involved in selling but my appetite quickly overcame the business side. I reported to Auburn and began my career being redshirted my first year and actually saw playing time as a backup my second season.


Going into my sophomore season I started on some special teams but about the third game week of the season I was diagnosed with cancer. I made the decision to come home for the chemo and radiation which lasted about a year.


During that time the pot and pain pill use really amped up. After a year I was officially in remission from cancer. After meeting with my coaches we determined that my playing career was done but my scholarship was still being honored as would pursue a career in college coaching.


After a year or more the endless opportunity for a party on a college campus was too much and the monster that was my addiction was ruling my life and I flunked out of school. Coming home and living years of the same dead end pattern, I would soon run into a monster that changed my life for the worst.


In 1997 I was introduced to methamphetamine. From that point on my drug of choice was whatever and wash it down with large amounts of booze.


In 2003 in the midst of a life in shambles I was given an amazing blessing. Twin boys. I continued dow



Spotlight on Recovery; Derick Balkcom

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