As a childhood cancer survivor, Suzie Casarona still remembers the moment her world shifted with the diagnosis of a Wilms tumor that would ultimately claim one of her kidneys. Growing up as the middle child of nine, Suzie’s early years were defined by chaos and instability—an environment that eventually led her into the foster care system. Between the trauma of her health battles and the abuse she endured from grade school through junior high, Suzie’s path was marked by pain long before she reached adulthood. By 16, she had dropped out of school and turned to illicit substances to mask her reality. While her grandfather fought to keep her on track, Suzie found herself "running and going," spiraling into an addiction to methamphetamine and crack alongside a mother who felt more like a party companion than a parent. She was a young woman searching for a place to belong yet finding only dysfunctional and abusive relationships. Even the birth of her first child at the age of 19, and the immense love that followed, could not immediately break the cycle of addiction. During her time in residential treatment, Suzie faced her lowest point: losing custody of her children. It was then that the recovery community stepped in, pouring love into her when she felt most unlovable. Today, the trajectory of Suzie’s life has changed once again. She is no longer running; she is leading. Suzie, we are so happy you’ve found your place. We are honored to have you on the Mirror team, bringing hope and recovery to others.

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Growing up in Topeka, Kansas, Abriona Markham shares memories of her eastside stomping grounds. She wants people to know that she is a proud graduate of Highland Park High School, and amazing things come out of this school. Growing up as the oldest sibling, Abriona’s mother was a “single married woman,” so there was a great deal of responsibility for the older children taking care of younger siblings. She credits her childhood for cultivating her independence and self-sufficiency that made her who she is today as an adult. Because she has been caring for people her entire life, becoming a doula was a natural fit for Abriona. She recalls growing up in an angry household, which consisted of laughter or yelling, nothing in between. Observing the damage of substance use disorder in her community was something she frequently witnessed. Viewing herself as a protector, someone not to be messed with, was also a part of Abriona’s identity. In grade school, she flourished academically once she was given the space to explore her creativity and the mentorship of teachers who recognized her potential. Once out of high school, Abriona went to Wichita State University and graduated with a degree in Sociology. During this time, she became pregnant with her first child. Navigating college with an infant was an incredible challenge that ultimately led to Abriona moving back to Topeka in 2018. As a new mother, she quickly learned that many of her friends and community members were not talking openly about important topics such as breastfeeding. From there, Abriona’s passion was ignited to help others and do all that she could do to help mothers and their children. To learn more about the incredible work she is doing, head to her website at https://www.topekadoula.org/. Abriona, you are amazing! We wish you the very best!

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Born and raised in Hutchison, Kansas, Dakotah reflects on scoring a 9 out of 10 on the ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experience) test to provide a glimpse into his story he shares on this episode. He was raised around abuse, violence, neglect, and more, sadly. Dakotah felt like he was an "odd individual" once he started school, but he also felt mature due to the adult experiences he was exposed to. From an early age, he fought with other children, mirroring the violence he was observing at home. At the age of 8 years old, Dakotah began using marijuana. Looking back at the first time he tried marijuana, he was with adults in a "trap house" who would not allow him to smoke meth, but they allowed Dakotah to use marijuana instead. By his teenage years, he was using a variety of illicit substances including opiates and methamphetamine. Searching for an escape for any unwanted emotion he was experiencing, Dakotah spiraled further into addiction. After experiencing his first major incident of drug withdrawal, he sought to remove himself from the lifestyle entirely that he was living and enlist in the Marine Corp. Before he was able to ship out, Dakotah suffered a serious injury to his knee. From there, Dakotah felt like he had been forsaken and was "sentenced to the streets" where he would eventually end up in the one place everyone told him he belonged: jail. To hear how Dakotah turned his life around completely and now helps others, you need to hear in his own words. After writing a book with his inspirational story, Endure, he now raises money to send his book to clients in treatment centers, jails, and prisons. You can find a copy of his book by following this link: https://www.quietstormservices.com/copy-of-endure-to-suffer-with-patience. Dakotah, we hope your dream comes true of getting your book in the hands of those who need it most!

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