Spotlight on Recovery: Daelin Connell

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Posted by: Staff
Date: May 31 2024 2:41 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 May  2024 Spotlight on Recovery story comes from Daelin Connell

My name is Daelin Connell I’m 28 years old I’m the youngest of child of a single mother I was born in Tallahassee FL.

I grew up In a small town by the Choctawhatchee River called Caryville. My childhood was a little rough. I was an overweight kid with no friends, mostly because I didn’t want them. All I had was my brother and my mom. When I was 14 my mom died and I became really depressed. My brother tried his best to take care of me, unfortunately I even pushed him away along with anybody else that was left of my family. it wasn’t long before I was smoking weed and within a few months I was trying pills.

By the time I was 16 I was a full-blown meth addict I hadn’t used the drug long before I found a needle in my arm. I’m naturally very quiet person but the drug turned me into somebody I thought I liked. somebody who is outgoing confident untouchable but really it just made me distant violent and unapproachable. I was a monster and I loved it until I turned on myself my mind was deteriorating faster than my body. well I said much longer than I ever wanted to by the time I was tired enough of the life. I had nothing else but the drugs and my broken evil mind telling me that I was useless broken and would never recover from what I’ve done in this life I was ready to end everything.

By the grace of God I was found….somebody seen me, somebody who was led by God who was my first glimpse of God. The first thing that was told to me was that God loved me and that I was going to be okay. I’d never heard those words and felt they were true since I was a kid before my mom died. the program was the biggest change that I ever could have experienced I went from being around nobody to being around countless people all of them full of love compassion and wanted nothing more but to help.

I didn’t trust it I fought it for a while but after being in the program seeing what it was doing for people restoring families changing lives I started to see that there still was good in the world and that I could be part of it. I could help. I wanted to and never thought I’d be able to. the love of God has changed my life it’s open my eyes to see a world I never thought it was real. still haunted by some demons, but nothing can harm me I’m protected which is a good feeling.

The simple act of writing this is so far out of my comfort zone, but there’s even the smallest chance that it could help somebody it makes it all worth being a little uncomfortable. St Matthews and Justins place what’s the start of me seeing a world where God is still around for people aren’t evil this place saved me God save me this place is able to save because God is in this place. Thank you Saint Matthew’s house thank you Justin’s place and thank you God for the people that help make this place what it is today.

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