The Naman family were everyday people living everyday lives when their world was flipped upside down.

“I did not know the signs or symptoms,” said Christine Naman. “I didn’t know the looks of things or the smells of things. Oftentimes, it was right in front of me. I just didn’t know what I was seeing.”

Christine's daughter, Natalie, became addicted to heroin at 15 years old. Christine would find tin foil, spoons and lighters in her daughter's vanity, but it wasn't until she found a syringe that she figured out exactly what was going on.

"When I found out my daughter was an addict, I felt like I failed," said Christine. 

Christine stepped on syringes left on the floor and wrestled one from the family dog’s mouth. At one point she found Natalie unresponsive on the floor and had to use Narcan to revive her.

Christine says although her faith was strong, finding out that her daughter was an addict, and dealing with everything that came along with that, shook her faith and made her doubt things. 

"I did wonder why this was happening to me, why this was happening to her. But ultimately, it made my faith even stronger because I needed it more," said Naman. "I don't think I could have ever gotten through or continue to be getting through this without being able to hold onto my beliefs that God is absolutely walking this walk with me and Natalie."

Through their struggles, Natalie says the support has been there, but she says very few people know exactly how to support families dealing with an addiction. 

Natalie is now in recovery, and Christine hopes that by sharing her family’s difficult story she can bring understanding and knowledge to those who do not know the problem firsthand as well as provide comfort to those who know the nightmare of addiction all too well.