I Overdosed on Heroin at 20 | Beauty Queen Reveals the SHOCKING Addiction That Nearly Killed Her

Rise Above with Kevin Lanning

Victoria Treadwell shares her harrowing journey from a successful dairy princess and beauty queen to surviving a near-fatal heroin overdose

Key takeaways

• Victoria Treadwell has maintained ten years of sobriety following a 2016 heroin overdose.
• Addiction does not discriminate based on social class, race, or educational level.

Main topics

• Heroin addiction recovery
• Breaking addiction stereotypes

Notable quotes

Addiction doesn't discriminate.

Conclusion

A powerful testament to resilience, showing that even after rock botto

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:00) Then I remember waking up to having CPR done and I was on his parents' kitchen floor naked. And, um... Speaker 1 (0:14) Victoria, I want to thank you for coming on. Speaker 2 (0:16) Thank you. Speaker 1 (0:17) All the way from Albany, right outside of Albany? Right outside of Albany, yeah. What town are you in? Speaker 2 (0:22) Niskayuna, so it's close to Schenectady, close to Saratoga, right in between. Speaker 1 (0:26) And we're both UAlbany alum. Speaker 2 (0:29) I know, great dance. Speaker 1 (0:30) So you have a very, very unique story. You are 10 years clean, sober. Yeah. And you had a heroin overdose in 2016. Speaker 1 (0:44) What I like about your story, of course, it's horrible what had Speaker 2 (0:48) happened. Speaker 1 (0:49) What I love about your story is you are a beauty queen as well. Speaker 2 (0:53) Yes. And Speaker 1 (0:54) it just goes to show that addiction doesn't discriminate. Speaker 2 (0:58) Does not discriminate. Even when I speak, I'll always like sometimes start with the question, just engage the audience. I'll be like, can you explain to me or raise your hand what you think an addict looks like? And a lot of them will be like homeless, you know, no teeth, you know, ragged clothes. And I was like, okay, well, what if I told you that I did drugs and I overdosed on heroin? And they're all just shocked. And I said, it just goes to show you can't judge a book by its cover. And it just opens the eyes. Because it can happen to anyone, your neighbor, your brother, your sister, your coworker, anyone. I think society has made it. So we have to pretend that it just goes into one category, one box. Speaker 1 (1:49) And Speaker 2 (1:50) it's like, no, it can happen to any social class, any human being, any race, any background, any educational level. And that's why I'm speaking up. And for me, competing in beauty pageants was a way for me to find my strength in my voice. But also it was an outlet for me and I was able to really connect to people in a way that I didn't think I could if I just had just started sharing my story. So it has really opened doors for me and I'm very, very grateful for it. Speaker 1 (2:25) Well, I'm glad you talked about that because. Speaker 1 (2:29) Thinking I was different, thinking, oh, I'm not like that person. That person's an addict and I'm not like that person kept me using and drinking so much longer than I really should have been. And it prevented me from getting help. The help was available. I just wasn't willing to commit because I always differentiated myself. I was never willing to listen to the feelings that that person went through or was experiencing. to relate to them. I was just looking and judging a book by its cover. But the truth is, I think this goes for both of us. I didn't, I was at a crossroads. And when I got sober, I went right instead of left. And I could have kept going left. And it was only a matter of time until I was homeless. It was only a matter of time until I looked like the person who was living under the bridge. I'm no different. And I know you're no different from them. We just made the choice when we did. So it was only a matter of time until we became that person. Speaker 2 (3:32) Right. Speaker 1 (3:33) And Speaker 2 (3:34) it's like you never know when that one choice, that one decision is going to alter the whole life course for you. And my goal by sharing my story is to help someone from maybe not continuing on the wrong path and that you can. take a detour and get back on the right path. And I think so many people also get caught up in the idea that they've done wrong and they need to stay in that wrong life or, well, I've done this and I can't do anything to change that. And it's like, no, you can. There's the resources. Find someone. There's someone out there that will listen to you and who will help you and guide you. You just have to find them. And when you do. it's just the doors open and there's a light at the end of the tunnel. And so by me sharing my story, I'm hoping to be that beacon for someone who feels that there is no hope. Like I grew up in the middle of nowhere in upstate New York. Like I didn't think I could become anything or even here. And it just shows that keep. putting yourself out there, the doors will open, the right people will connect you and bring you to where you need to be. It may take some time. It's not going to happen overnight, but you can do it. You don't have to stay stuck. Yeah. Speaker 1 (4:57) All right. So let's take a step back. You grew up right outside of Utica? Speaker 2 (5:02) Yes. Little town, Little Falls, New York on a 295 acre dairy farm. It was just my sister and I and And our father and our mom would help. She was just there to keep like the flower beds and everything looking nice. And we always had like some sort of hired help to help here and there with chores. But for the most part, it was just my sister and my father and I Speaker 1 (5:27) running Speaker 2 (5:28) the farm. How was, Speaker 1 (5:30) were your parents together growing up? Speaker 2 (5:32) Yep. They're still together. They've been married 31 years now, I think going on 32. That's amazing. Yeah. So we had a wonderful, loving home growing up. You know, your typical small town family, picturesque, father's a dairy farmer, my mom was an occupational therapist, and my sister and I did well in school. We did sports, did drama club, did it all. We showed our cows in 4-H, and we did this program called the Dairy Princess Program. Oddly, I was a county dairy princess, and then... People are going to be like, what is this? Speaker 1 (6:11) It's on your resume. Yes. Speaker 2 (6:12) And I was the New York State alternate dairy princess. So in the agricultural world, that was like the Miss America. I Speaker 1 (6:19) was just going to say, what qualifies you to – yeah, okay. Speaker 2 (6:21) Like that's the pinnacle. Like, wow, you did it. So then when I did overdose, it was right after I gave up my title as Miss New York. I mean, New York State dairy princess versus alternate. Speaker 1 (6:36) Oh, you had to give it up when you overdosed. And that was at what, 20 years old, right? Speaker 2 (6:39) My reign ended in February of 2016. And then I overdosed in June of 2016. And so like. For all of that to come to surface, like, Speaker 1 (6:49) whoa, Speaker 2 (6:50) like, how does someone who seems like they have a good head on their shoulders just completely, like, fall off the face of earth and go down that road? And so it was hard because the agricultural community is small. And so we're traveled. And I grew up in a small town. So when that it did happen, which we can get back to where we got to that. Speaker 2 (7:17) Oh, everyone talked. Yeah. And that was hard. Speaker 1 (7:20) To go back to childhood, let's go to like grade school, middle school. How would other people describe you? What was your personality like? Speaker 2 (7:31) Everyone described me as like this cute little bubbly little blonde girl. My first grade teacher describes me as like this little angel that walked into her classroom. And I was just – so open to life and so innocent, very innocent. And I think that's what got me kind of in trouble growing up because I was so innocent and I wanted to play with fire because I'm like, I don't want to be innocent. I want to be bad. Speaker 1 (8:04) Yeah. Did it get boring and you wanted some- Yeah, I wanted some excitement. Yeah. Speaker 2 (8:10) And that's what led me to- Playing with fire. Yeah. I always went after the bad boys. Speaker 1 (8:17) I always say it's always an older man. Like they start – someone starts dating someone who's older and then they get introduced to whatever it may be. But we – so were you drinking, smoking weed, doing any of that through high school? What was high school like? Speaker 2 (8:35) High school, I did a little bit of partying. I would drink. a little bit. I remember my sister and I would, like, tell her mom, we're going to a girl's sleepover, blah, blah, blah. And my sister would go to her friend's house, and then I would go to, like, a house party with my friends. We always, like, timed it right when certain people's parents weren't home. We're like, okay, party at so-and-so's house Friday or Saturday night. Like, let's go. And living in the country, You can easily get people to buy alcohol for young kids. It's very simple to do. And I think we would drink whatever we could. Like the time, like Fireball, oh gosh, like that was like, yeah. And oh my goodness, like we didn't care what we were drinking as long as we were getting drunk. Like that was the whole goal. And when I reflect back now, I think. Speaker 2 (9:35) When I was in my wild child phase, I would drink to get drunk. Just because I was like, I need to get drunk and I want to prove to everyone that I'm the baddest person there. Like I can handle everything and I want to be the toughest person. And that was like my goal was to get as drunk as possible and be the last one standing, which is so sad to think about. Speaker 1 (9:58) One thing I've learned in my own recovery is that you can't do this alone and you don't have to. I know that firsthand. I went through inpatient treatment at Karen Treatment Centers. and it changed the course of my life. That's why I am proud to announce that I've partnered with Karen. For nearly 70 years, they've helped people and families not just break free from addiction, but actually heal and transform their lives. They're in network with all major insurance providers, and same day admission is available. So if you or someone you love is struggling, don't wait. Call Karen at 855-352- Speaker 1 (10:39) That's 855-352-0103. Help starts with taking that first step. Speaker 2 (10:47) Yeah. Speaker 1 (10:47) Well, you wanted to excel in every friend group, every area, and every setting. In school, you did well. I Speaker 2 (10:54) did well. Speaker 1 (10:55) You were, what was it, Miss Dairy Queen? Speaker 2 (10:57) Dairy Princess. You were Miss Dairy Princess. I was student council president. Speaker 2 (11:05) did like the youth programs, drama club. I was a track star. I played soccer. I did cheerleading. I was cheerleading captain. Like I did so much. I was in honor society. Like there wasn't something I didn't do. Speaker 1 (11:23) And Speaker 2 (11:23) I was always striving to do the most. And also there was the pressure. of being at home because it was just my sister and I, my dad didn't have a son to do the chores. There was this pressure from my father to be like, you need to be home on the farm helping out. But you also need to balance your social life and have all the pillars taken care of. Speaker 1 (11:48) And Speaker 2 (11:48) I think any agricultural kid could probably relate to me that there is, there's a sense of pressure that we have to. help run the family business and run the family farm. And there's a pride in that too, but there's also like, oh my gosh, I need to get home and help mom and dad. Speaker 1 (12:04) Yeah. Well, that's a lot. That's Speaker 2 (12:06) a Speaker 1 (12:06) lot of pressure for someone who's in high school, middle school, you Speaker 2 (12:10) know, Speaker 1 (12:11) as an adolescent. That's a lot. Or a minor rather. So you graduate high school. Speaker 2 (12:19) What Speaker 1 (12:19) do you do after high school? Speaker 2 (12:20) I went to a community college in Utica, Mohawk Valley Community College. I was actually a nutrition major. And my goal was to become a registered dietitian. And I actually did almost two years at Mohawk Valley. And I was getting ready to transfer to Oneonta and just continue. And I hit a roadblock. The program that the community college had with SUNY Oneonta had fallen through. And so I was like, oh, wow. What do I do now? So I tried joining the Navy. I was still in school, but I was like, let me join the Navy. I don't know what I want to do. I tried taking that exam three times, like the placement exam. The universe did not want that for me. Every time I went to take the exam, the computers shut down. No. And the guy was like, this has never happened before. I was like, someone's telling me not to do this. This is not my path. Speaker 1 (13:17) Three times? Speaker 2 (13:18) Three times. I was like, that's it. I was like, I'm done. Yeah, Speaker 1 (13:22) that's a sign. It Speaker 2 (13:23) was a sign. Speaker 1 (13:23) Okay. Speaker 2 (13:24) And so I was in my wild child phase at this time too. I was still on the farm, but. I had started working at Applebee's because I wanted to make more money. Like I wasn't making enough money at home. And I was – looking back now, I was definitely searching in like for that freedom. I didn't want to be home anymore. But I had to be for chores. And so I was partying. That was like my outlet. But then I found the surgical technology program. It was a two-year combined into one. And my sister was like, look at this. Like it's a one-year. do it. You work in the operating room. Maybe it's something you want to do. And I Speaker 1 (14:04) was like, I Speaker 2 (14:05) don't work in the OR. It sounds scary. Like who wants to pass instruments to a doctor? I can't do that. I'm not capable of that. And then after thinking about it, I'm like, okay, let's do it. I'm like one year, I need to get home, like get out there, make some money. And I did it. And while I was in the program, that is when I really was partying like Wednesday night. My friends and I were like, what are we doing tonight? And, you know, like Thursday through Saturday night, even sometimes Sundays, we were going out partying until 2, 3 a.m. And I remember sometimes I would get like an hour of sleep and then like sneak home to go like start letting the cows in so they could go get milked at like 6 a.m. And I don't know how I did it. And I was waitressing and just trying to balance it all. And I think all of that, and I still wanted to be accepted, and it was hanging out with the wrong crowd. Speaker 1 (15:06) Was your partying, was it involving just alcohol? Were you doing drugs at all? Speaker 2 (15:11) At the time, it was just alcohol. And when I started seeing my ex, Speaker 2 (15:20) And that's when he introduced me to heroin. Speaker 1 (15:23) Okay. How do you meet him, take us through that story? Speaker 2 (15:28) So he actually worked on our family farm, which I thought was great. I'm like, oh, tall, young, dark-haired guy working on our farm. And he was a motocross racer. And he was your typical bad boy. And I wanted to be a part of that. And so. Us doing chores together, you just kind of bond. And I was a young, innocent, you know, I think 17, 16-year-old who just wanted to be a part of something I shouldn't have. And I knew I shouldn't have. Like, you know, there's always the warning signs to stay away. You know, like, let's ignore all those signs. Let's go play with this fire. And one day he introduced me to heroin. in a Walmart parking lot. And I remember he had me go get cotton balls in Walmart and he was going to get the insulin needles. And he's like, you just try it once. Like it'll be our little thing. And when a boy says that to a young girl, like it'll be our little thing. Like that just like clicks. You're like, oh my gosh, like I'm going to be a part of his world. Like this is our little thing we're going to do together. great. And so the first time I did heroin, I was like, whoa. It just like shoots through your whole body. It's a warm, euphoric feeling. And I was like, okay, I'll never do this again. But I was like, wow, like I did something scary with this guy. He must really love me. And I was like, You know what? He'll protect me. He won't let anything bad happen to me. And that's what I told myself. Speaker 1 (17:19) And the first time you did it, you shot it. Speaker 2 (17:22) I let him put Speaker 1