Dawn McCord

Chasing Carson Dawn McCord

We knew we were in trouble when we started getting calls from the neighbors saying Carson was at the top of the tallest tree on the street. He was 7 or 8 years old. At 10 he made a zipline out of the dog's tie out and leash then attempted to zip from the tree to the top of the playhouse, nearly hanging himself. He came out of the womb a natural athlete and risk taker. We were amazed by his ingenuity.

Freshman year of high school he started experimenting with drugs like most teens do, however our boy had unlocked the door to addiction. As his drugs became harder he spiraled out of control with periods of abstinence followed by a few weeks of being on a "bender" until a crisis would end that cycle. Each time, we would think this is his "rock bottom", then it wasn't. We struggled with "Is this just the throws of adolescence or does he have a problem." By his Senior year he overdosed.

Then starts the scramble to find some sort of rehabilitation that is longer, different and out of our area. How can we afford it? Insurance? Savings? Mortgage the house? What does recovery look like for a now 18 year old that can just walk away from wherever we send him?

...... Always Chasing Carson......