Valley group helps woman battling heroin addiction

YOUNGSTOWN — Seated under the fluorescent lighting of a small room with a tiled floor, Kayla Dempsey – wide-eyed and dressed in an orange jumpsuit – silently clasped her hand over her gaping mouth.

It was several minutes later before she was able to get out the words: “Thank you. I didn’t expect – I’m shocked.”

Unknown to her since she began a 30-day sentence after asking to be sent to jail so she can get clean from heroin, a local organization heard her story – first reported by The Vindicator – and decided to help.

Solace of the Valley, an organization dedicated to dealing with drug addiction in the Valley, visited Dempsey at the county jail yoday to offer her a scholarship for 30 days at a treatment center in Florida.

“You opened up the door to getting better, and we want to help you close it,” said Anna Howells, executive director of the nonprofit.

The scholarship, one of three scholarships valued at roughly $30,000 that Changes Treatment Center donated to Solace of the Valley, is in honor of Anna’s son. Dennis Howells died from a drug overdose in 2013 at age 30.

For the complete story, read Wednesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com