LOUDON COUNTY, Tenn. — For the last eight months, Kimberly Raper has been working on herself. She's struggled with addiction on and off since she was a teenager.
"I've been in trouble over it with numerous jail stays, numerous bad relationships, a few overdoses," she said. "It was a rough road."
Last November, she decided to seek help at the Beauty 4 Ashes recovery home in Lenoir City, Tenn. She's been clean ever since.
"I found hope. I found peace. I found me again," Raper told 10News. "There's days that are very, very hard, but it's all worth it in the end."
Raper said she's thankful for every day.
"It feels so good to actually be able to go out into functions and have a clear mind and just look around and see all the wonderful things," she said. "You look at the whole world in a different perspective."
Although she graduated from the rehab program last month, she decided to stay at the Beauty 4 Ashes recovery home as staff so she can help other women overcome their addictions.
"There's so many people out there that need help," Raper said. "I can relate to them because there's some that are so broken inside. And it just feels good to give back to be able to help them to get them off the street during the pandemic."
She hopes that by helping others and speaking out about recovery, she can help break down the stigma.
"You should not be ashamed to be an addict, but you should get help," Raper said. "Your worst day in rehab is better than your best day out there."