Judges honor Bay City woman who overcame addiction

By Cole Waterman MLive.com BAY CITY (AP) -- For almost two decades, Christina Bermejo struggled with an addiction to crack cocaine. But now, the Bay City woman has been clean for nearly three years and works full-time as a mentor, counseling others through their addictions, a transformation she attributes to Bay County's treatment courts. "A few years ago, when I entered treatment court, I was very hopeless," Bermejo, 33, told MLive.com. "Being in my addiction for 17 years, I always said, I'd been through the things I've been through to help other people. If I'm not helping other people, then the things I went through were in vain. I want to show others it can be done, that recovery is possible." On May 29, Bay County Probate Judge Karen A. Tighe granted Bermejo, 33, the second annual Craig D. Alston Award, named after the former Bay County District Court judge who started the county's first treatment court in 2005. Alston, once again donning the black robe, attended the ceremony held in Tighe's courtroom alongside current District Court Judges Timothy J. Kelly and Dawn A. Klida and Circuit Judge Harry P. Gill. "Christina, I do want to congratulate you on a great accomplishment," Alston told Bermejo. "You obviously have lot of insight, and are able to see what your recovery needs were and how to address them. As you serve, you will also grow." Tighe oversees the county's family drug court and juvenile court, while Klida runs the alcohol treatment court and Gill operates the felony drug addiction court. May was National Drug Court Month. "In October of 2011, Christina Bermejo successfully completed family drug treatment court, where care and custody of her son was restored to her," Tighe said. "While we have restored many parents to a healthier life, over the years we have only seen two or three women come back to visit. One of them was Christina." Several months ago, Bermejo visited the courthouse and told the current specialized court participants of her struggles with addiction. She described how recovery is a lifetime process and that sobriety cannot be put on the backburner, Tighe said. "What Christina didn't know was that in addition to the current drug court participants, in the back row was a counselor from Bay Psychological Associates, listening closely," Tighe continued. "At the next team meeting, Christina's name was mentioned and the counselor from BPA said, 'We should hire her!'" Bermejo ended up leaving her job as a fast food restaurant manager to become a peer mentor at Bay Psychological Associates. During the ceremony, as the various judges commended her, Bermejo was overcome and wiped tears from her eyes. "There is nothing more rewarding," said Klida, "than to see one of our graduates come back and continue to show us how strong they are and how much they have learned and what they want to impart to other people." Bay County defense attorney Jan Miner added, "One reason I think we do this work . it's to have hope. That's really the bottom line, and Christina, you give us hope. You rock." Bermejo replied that it was an honor and a privilege for her to receive the award, adding that without treatment court, she would not be living the life she does now. "I was very broken and hopeless when I came to court after my addiction taking me over again and losing my son again," she said. "After 17 years of a bad habit and a daily routine of chasing drugs, I needed the daily support treatment court gave me. "I am proud and so grateful to say I've been clean and sober for two and a half years," she continued. "I am a proud mother of three beautiful children ranging in age from 7 to 15 and am looking forward to getting married this summer to my best friend and partner...and looking forward to what the future holds.' The ceremony ended with Bermejo thanking the judges, Tighe in particular for giving her a second chance. "I couldn't make choices for myself," she said, "I couldn't make healthy choices; you guys helped me make those choices. Having that accountability really helped me to keep going." Published: Fri, Jun 7, 2013