Hundreds gather to celebrate recovery, mourn victims of substance abuse
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From a distance, the crowd gathered in Foster Park looked like they were there for a party or a festival. The grills were fired up. There were informational booths and tents arrayed in a semicircle near the performing arts pavilion. There was music. There was laughter.
But there was also loss. There was struggle. There were hidden influences being overcome. And beneath it all, there was hope.
On Aug. 25, the community gathered for A Night of Hope, and event meant to commemorate the loss of so many to the ravages of substance abuse and to celebrate the recovery of so many more. The event was organized by Turning Point – A System of Care, and its co-founder Paul Wyman emceed the event, welcoming all to lift up and support the hundreds in attendance walking a path to recovery.
“What we all know is recovery is no straight line to the top,” said Wyman. “There's zigs. There's zags. There's ups. There's downs, but we always get to take a moment like this and just say, wow, look where we have come. Look where you have come.
“You should be celebrated. You should be honored, and you should be proud of what you've accomplished to get to this point. So tonight, I want your chins high. I want your hearts full as we take time and celebrate what you've done. At the same time, on this road to recovery, some of the challenges are when we lose people that we love.”
Mayor Tyler Moore was invited to speak to the crowd and to proclaim the day National Overdose Awareness Day in Kokomo. He offered words of support to those in attendance.
“It takes a community, not only to provide the support and services, but to wrap the mantle of love around those who are still struggling and fighting and to comfort those who have lost loved ones to that battle,” said Moore. “It's an honor to be here. I appreciate the opportunity, but I appreciate even more, not only the service providers, but the family and friends who continue to come out and support those who are continuing to fight and continuing to mourn the loss of those who have gone before us.”
As speakers came to the stage, the hundreds of survivors and supporters gathered in fellowship. They reminisced and embraced. They visited the various booths, obtaining information about support and recovery services, healthcare, and the widening net of resources available. And they happily feasted upon hamburgers and hot dogs grilled by volunteers from the Howard County Sheriff’s Office.
The most poignant words of the evening came from Kayla Covey; a survivor in recovery who now turns her talents and energy to the efforts of others trying to free themselves from substance abuse.
“My name is Kayla, and I'm a survivor. I stand here today as someone who knows the depths of addiction and overdose and the pain of loss, but more importantly, someone who knows the power of recovery and hope that still exists even after everything falls apart.
“I spent years, 15 of them lost in addiction. I hurt the people I loved. I made choices I never thought I would. I lost relationships. I lost my children. I lost trust with the people that I loved, and I lost myself. I landed in jail, completely broken, with nothing left to give. And it was in that brokenness that I finally cried out to God, and He met me there.
“That moment led me to Open Arms, where my journey began, where my healing began, and it's where I met someone who changed my life forever. Her name was Laura McKay. Laura wasn't just another girl. She became my best friend. She was my anchor in early recovery. From that very beginning, she met me with kindness, honesty and strength that could only come from someone who walked through the fire herself.
“She was real in every way, never pretending, never sugarcoating, just showing up with a heart full of love and truth. Laura had this gift. She made people feel seen, heard, and valued. She's the one I could call when the weight of the world felt too heavy, when the silence felt unbearable, and when I just needed to be reminded that my life mattered, too. Somehow, she always knew what to say and even more importantly, when to simply just listen to me.
“Her laugh was contagious. Her smile was unforgettable, and she had this rare light about her; the kind that could break through your darkest day and bring you hope. Laura carried both fire and gentleness, and she poured them into everything that she loved, including me. If you knew Laura, you don't forget her. She left fingerprints on every heart she touched.
“But addiction doesn't let go easily. She didn't survive. She died from an overdose. That loss rocked my world. I miss her every day. I say her name out loud, because her story matters, and her life mattered. She's why I'm here, for her and for the countless others whose lives here have been cut short by this disease.
“It doesn't discriminate, doesn't care how good your heart is, doesn't care how much you're loved if you have a family, or how hard you're trying. It's why awareness matters. It's why compassion matters. It's why hope -- real, lasting hope -- matters.”
After the speakers concluded, Wyman called the survivors – those in recovery – to the stage. Each announced their time free of substance abuse. For some it was just days, for other decades. Every one of them was celebrated by the crowd.
The survivors were given carnations to place upon a banner that listed the names of those who lost in the fight against substance abuse. And then they released balloons of purple and white into the midsummer sky, sending prayers with them that others might find recovery as well.
See additional photos from A Night of Hope on the Lantern’s Facebook page or group.