Peggy Davis’s journey from the grip of addiction to steady employment shines as a glowing testament to second chances and the impact of supportive workplaces. A recovering addict now clean for well over two years, Peggy shares her story openly, highlighting how far she has come and the role one employer played in making stability possible.
Her addiction began with prescription pain pills from a doctor, a common entry point that escalated quickly. “I started with pain pills and stuff like that from a doctor, and it just slowly progressed,” she recalls. What followed was a cycle of harder substances: methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine. The drugs took over her life. She lost jobs repeatedly, spending paychecks on the next fix instead of necessities. Hunger became routine because money went to drugs first.
The physical toll was severe. Peggy underwent unnecessary surgeries solely to obtain more pain pills, including a total hysterectomy that left her unable to have children… this on top of seven foot surgeries, an appendectomy, and gallbladder removal. “I’ve had everything done, everything that I could think of to get that drug I’ve done,” she says. At her lowest, she sat reflecting on what she could never afford or achieve while using. That moment of clarity led to a decisive call. She asked her boyfriend to drive her to rehab, this time for herself. “This time it was for me, I was done. I actually stayed.”
Unlike previous attempts driven by family pressure, Peggy committed fully. She participated in meetings and groups, completing the program and maintaining sobriety since. Returning home to Laurel County, Kentucky, she faced a tough job market. Despite experience and willingness to work, doors stayed closed. Applications went unanswered, and her history made hiring managers hesitant.
Persistence finally paid off when she learned about Peckham. She repeated contacted them until hired. “I kept emailing Sam. I’m like, Sam, come on. Like, am I hired? When am I starting.” Peggy was upfront about her recovery. Peckham accepted her without hesitation, even noting her clean date and checking in regularly to ensure her well-being.
Peckham, a nonprofit that provides job opportunities and vocational support to people with disabilities and other barriers — including those in recovery from addiction — gave her a fresh start. In her role, she assists elderly clients in enrolling in health plans, matching them to their best options. “I get to be the person that helps these elderly people to enroll into their plan, find the plan that’s best for them,” she explains. The work feels meaningful, and she plans to stay long-term. “I plan on being here until I retire because this is what I want to do and I love it.”
What sets Peckham apart, in Peggy’s view, is genuine care without judgment. Supervisors and colleagues focus on her performance while also supporting her personally. “Peckham cares about you, about how you are, how you’re doing, what you’re doing, you know, making you feel comfortable in your own skin.” She feels valued as a person, not defined by her past.
For Peggy, the job brought normalcy she once lacked: a consistent schedule, a paycheck, a boss who wants her to succeed. “Not (all that long) ago, it wasn’t normal for me to get up and be at work by 8:00. It wasn’t normal for me to have a boss who was proud of me and that wanted the best for me.” Today, that routine defines her life. Drugs are firmly in the past; she calls addiction “the worst experience of my life” and vows never to return.
Peckham provided the stability and opportunity she needed to rebuild. “They’ve allowed me to have the life that I deserve to have and I should have had, had I not been an addict to begin with.” Her story shows how the right employer can help a person turn recovery into lasting satisfaction by providing the means through which she can take the off ramp of the bridge to nowhere and merge onto the highway to success.