Formerly incarcerated Pitt County inmates honored for drug addiction recovery

PITT COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) -Congratulations were in order Monday night for ten resilient and steadfast recovering addicts once known as Pitt County inmates.

Kevin Cook is a proud alumnus of the Sheriff’s Heroin Addiction Recovery Program. Cook says drug-related crimes had him in and out of the detention center for years, but says walking through the doors of S.H.A.R.P in 2019 permanently shifted his focus.

“Going through the S.H.A.R.P program, talking about how crazy we were and not glorifying using drugs,” Cook said. “I came out with a network of people that showed me how not to use drugs and how to get through life on life’s terms.”

Cook says every inmate seeking help for their drug addiction while in S.H.A.R.P, eventually becomes brothers because they all sleep, eat, and live the same struggle.

Sean Smalls seconds that notion, due to the fact that he and Cook were a part of S.H.A.R.P’s first group of recovering inmates. Smalls says his drug addiction began at the mere age of 13.

“It started off as fun and games, just marijuana and alcohol at first,” Smalls said. “From there it progressed into heavier drugs, but today I have a network of support friends that I contact every day. Taking it one day at a time.”

S.H.A.R.P has changed lives, but so has the Women’s Empowerment and Recovery Program.

W.E.A.R has guided powerful women like Cigi Potter, in the direction of hope. Potter says the program showed her there was light at the end of the tunnel.

“It’s not worth it, it’s really not,” Potter said. “There’s quite a few of us that have overcome it, and the help is out there. There’s a better life than that crazy life.”

Many joined the alumni to reflect on how far they’ve come and Cook says that support makes the journey special.

“It’s a lot easier today than it ever was when I was using,” Cook said.

Sheriff Paula Dance says both S.H.A.R.P and W.E.A.R have helped dozens of people formerly incarcerated since both programs began in 2019.