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Doctor: Some of the worst impacts of the opioid epidemic go unseen
The Journal-News met with the couple while reporting on success stories in the opioid crisis, looking for positive signs that there is hope in the flood of negative news.
The Himms are one example of support leading to improvement.
Matt Himm went through as many recovery programs as possible while in prison to make sure that his journey to sobriety was a permanent one.
“I wanted to make sure I stayed on that path when I got out,” he said. “Plus, Julie was awfully sick when I got out.”
She continued.
“When Matt went to prison, we divorced right before he went in,” said Julie, who is a hair stylist at Sports Clips. “We had no contact while he was in prison, and I continued my substance abuse. After Matt got out, he came back for me and realized how sick I was.”
Matt, who now has a seat on the Butler County Mental Health and Addicton Recovery Services Board, came back for her, Julie said.
“He came back for me and helped my parents realize how sick I was,” she said. “It was then that I went to Cincinnati for recovery for 30 days, and my sobriety date is April 2, 2015, so I have almost three years.”
The road to recovery not only led to the ability to get away from opioid and alcohol abuse but led to a rekindling of romance.
“April 4 of last year, we got officially remarried,” Julie said.
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