Nicole’s story recounts the troubled years she had experienced growing up and how her family affected her life. As a child, it never occurred to her that her family was not as normal as she had perceived it to be. she was four years old and innocence protected her from the harsh truth about her parents intense addiction to drugs. As she grew older, she witnessed how drugs made their lives miserable, and she vowed to never be like them. Through the years, she watched her mother and father go in and out of jail due to drugs. Her mother’s addiction grew worse and her siblings followed her parents lead. There came a time when she tried to drown her family’s troubles by drinking and took part in stealing. But knowing that she was breaking the law made her stop and made her strive harder to have a better life for her and her family.