Former Miss USA Thanks President Trump for Getting Her into Recovery

Those addicted to drugs often find it difficult to open up and admit the truth, particularly if they believe that their life will be negatively affected if others find out about their problem. This was certainly the case for former Miss USA Tara Conner, who tested positive for cocaine just eight months after winning her title.

Dark Places

Ms Conner has now opened up about how her life was heading for ‘dark places’ at the time she tested positive. She won the coveted title in 2006, but after testing positive for drugs was in danger of losing it. However, now-president Donald Trump, then owner of the Miss USA pageant, decided she should be given another chance if she completed a programme of rehabilitation.

In a heartfelt essay about those times, Tara wrote, “It was ten years ago, that I got out of treatment, and I thank him for my ten years of recovery. I will always be profoundly grateful. He saved my life and, essentially, made me great again.”

Partying Ways

When Ms Conner won the competition back in 2006, she hit the headlines for her partying ways. She was rumoured to have been bringing men back to the apartment she shared with then Miss Teen USA Katie Blair and Miss Universe Zuleka Rivera. She said, “I was 20 in 2006 when I was crowned Miss USA. Few people knew my name and my ‘Miss USA story’. Later that year, millions knew my name because of my real story, the story I didn’t want shared. I became famous as ‘Mess USA’ when my boss — now the president of the United States — tossed me into rehab after I tested positive for cocaine.”

Cause of Addiction

In the essay, Ms Connor praises President Trump for the kindness and consideration he showed to her by not humiliating her further and by giving her another chance. She also wrote about issues in her life that she believes led her down the path of addiction. She wrote, “My uncle molested me when I was 3. When I was 14, my parents’ rocky relationship ended in divorce, and my grandfather, my protector who gave me unconditional love when no one else would, died.”

She went on to say, “That same year, on a cheerleading trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, I was offered vodka from a gallon jug that the girls got from older boys, and I jumped at the chance to fit in. I so desperately needed to feel like I belonged somewhere! I swore off alcohol the next day, but addiction had its claws in me, and by later that year, I was addicted to morphine. From that point on, my life became a series of alcohol- and drug-induced incidents followed by me trying to cover my tracks and maintain appearances.”

War on Drugs

Writing about President Trump’s promise to wage war on drugs, Ms Conner said, “The president vowed in his speech to Congress that ‘we will stop the drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth – and we will expand treatment for those who have become so badly addicted’. I am confident he will keep his promises. As is the case with one in every three American households, substance use disorders impacted his own family, and he now has the power to help millions.”

Advocate for Recovery

Since her own problems and subsequent recovery from addiction, Ms Conner has now become an advocate for recovery and works with those who are dealing with addiction. She gives speeches and talks to help others overcome their issues as she did.

If you are struggling with addiction, contact us here at Blue Skies Recovery. We can help you beat your illness with our superb treatment programmes that are designed around the needs of the individual patient. Contact us today for information.

Source:

1. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4275078/Donald-Trump-saved-Miss-USA-s-life-putting-rehab.html