My name is Dana Mays. I was born and raised in Augusta GA. I had a great childhood, for the most part. I ended up falling in with the wrong crowd and started experimen>ng with alcohol, drugs and sex at the age of 14. I was pregnant at 15. I ended up having an abor>on because I felt like that was the best decision. I realized that was actually the worst the decision aEer it was already done. AEer that, I started being very rebellious and geFng into trouble. I started drinking heavily at the age of 17. I met a man 17 years older than me when I was 18, who was a cocaine dealer. That is when I started using cocaine. For the next 17 years my life was full of bad rela>onships, which led to me geFng beat over and over again. In those 17 years, I had 4 boys by 4 different men. As always, God knew what he was doing. He has used my kids to save my life over and over again. Although I was addicted to pills, I never considered my self an addict un>l I started smoking meth, because I felt like I could not be normal without it. Looking back, knowing what I know now, I was an addict all of my adult life. I have been in and out of jail my whole life, but the last charges of possession of meth amphetamines with intent to distribute and possession of a controlled substance, would be the last charges that I would ever receive. Me and another person was caught aEer we ran from the police through 4 coun>es on a stolen motorcycle. Even aEer being released from jail, I con>nued to use. A year and some months went by and Burke county came a took one of my children away, temporarily. I knew I had a bench warrant for not going to court on those previous charges and in order to get my son back, I knew I had to take care of that. I walked into the Emanuel county courthouse thinking I could blow some smoke to get those warrants off of me and found out that God had a different plan. They put me in jail for a week in order for me to get clean enough to plea out on those charges. AEer I went in front of the judge, there was no hope of me going home for the next year, so right there on that jail cell floor, I surrendered what was leE of me to God. He met me right there in that dark and lonely place that I had created for myself. I am not too sure how long I was on that floor crying out to God before the doors swung open and I was being released to Angels in Flight recovery center on August 28, 2013. I was mentally, physically and spiritually broken when I got to Angels in Flight, but it was not long before I established a rela>onship with God. At Angels in Flight, I was given the tools and coping skills to deal with life on life’s terms. I graduated Angels in Flight in February 2014. Since leaving there I regained custody of my son and I have gone back to school and completed with a diploma in dental assis>ng and an associate degree in science of pre-nursing. I am currently enrolled in school to gain my bachelor’s degree of science in nursing. I am also currently on the board of directors at Angels in Flight. I have been clean for over 7 years. I could not have done it without God and the connec>on that I s>ll have with Angels in Flight.