Brandie’s story is one of remarkable transformation after decades of trauma, addiction, and homelessness. Born into addiction and substance-exposed at birth, Brandie was abandoned by her mother and raised in an abusive home where drugs, violence, and silence were the norm. By the age of 15, she was on her own, homeless and cycling through domestic violence and crime.
Eventually Brandie ended up in Tucson and her addiction spiraled out of control. Her ex-wife would take her in every now and then to shower and rest, but she was surviving by stealing from stores. She was getting tired, but terrified of change because she had no idea how to live as a “normal person.” In desperation to make more money, she began running drugs from Mexico
Her turning point came when she was caught at the Nogales port of entry with drugs. Facing serious prison time, Brandie was granted a chance at treatment through The Haven. It was the first time in her long history of incarceration that anybody offered her substance use treatment. When she was picked up, she was overwhelmed and terrified, but Residential Technician Ann Thomas comforted her with the words, “God’s got you and I got you.” That moment marked the beginning of a new life.
Residential treatment was grueling. Brandie had to confront her trauma, build trust, and learn boundaries for the first time. As part of the Native Ways Program, she found healing through culturally grounded therapy with her counselor, Nati Cano, who patiently helped her peel back the layers of pain and anger. Through group support and affirmations, Brandie began to believe she was worthy of recovery.
After 90 days, she transitioned into Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), living in the Native Ways House and participating in recovery classes, 12-step meetings, and reconnecting with her baby. She got a job while in IOP, which gave her stability and confidence. Brandie said without IOP, everything she had learned would’ve been lost.
But uncertainty loomed as her sentencing for drug trafficking was still ahead, and she feared losing everything she had worked for. She had a prison only plea deal and was facing up to 15 years in prison. Despite this, she stayed grounded in recovery, got her own apartment for the first time, and remained active in the recovery community. When sentencing finally arrived, she addressed the court with honesty and vulnerability. The whole court room was in tears after she was done talking. The prosecutor, deeply moved, recommended against prison and said it would be detrimental for Brandie to go to prison as she had gone above and beyond and was a beacon of hope in the community. Brandie herself knew that she would relapse in prison or right after getting released because a prison sentence would have proven that all her hard work was for nothing. In a rare decision, the judge, who was known for being tough, granted Brandie three years of probation.
Brandie made the most of her second chance. She helped her sister move across the country and landed a job she loves as a driver at the airport. In July 2025, her probation officer called to say her probation had ended early, just 15 months in, because she had done so well.
Today, Brandie is over two years sober. She owns a car, has her own home, works two jobs, and has reconnected with her son and grandchildren in California. She sponsors others, shares her story in treatment centers, and is a source of support for those struggling. She’s open about the challenges too, when she lost visitation rights with her daughter, she nearly relapsed but reached out for help instead.
Brandie dreams of returning to The Haven one day as an employee, to give back to the place that changed her life. She says what makes The Haven different is the deep sense of respect and how people see you as an individual rather than a lost cause. “The Haven gave me a foundation to live, to find out who I am and what I’m capable of,” she says. “They never gave up on me. I can hold my head high. I have a family in recovery, and it all started at The Haven.”
She shares her message of hope with others: “Don’t give up. Freedom and recovery are possible; it’s all up to you and how badly you want it. After all the violence and overdoses, there’s no reason I should still be alive. But if I can change, anybody can. I’m not a lost cause, nobody is.”
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