The government of Midland County has shared testimonies from graduates of the Midland County Drug Court as part of the program’s seventh-anniversary celebrations.
The county highlighted the success stories of three women—Betsy Bissett, Jenn McMorries, and Astrid Murray—on its Facebook page. According to these posts, Bissett and McMorries discussed how the drug court aided their journeys to sobriety, while Murray spoke about overcoming addiction with the initiative’s help.
An October 14 post featured Bissett, who explained that a felony Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) conviction brought her to the court’s attention. She said that the hardest part was not achieving sobriety but learning self-forgiveness. “The program changes the way you care about yourself,” she said. “I rebuilt my relationships, especially with my teenage son, and now I’m proud to advocate for others.”
According to an October 15 post, McMorries was motivated by a probation officer’s faith in her ability to achieve sobriety. The post indicated this was her turning point. “[They said], ‘We believe in you,’” recalled McMorries. “No one had ever said that to me before. I went sober the next day and haven’t looked back. The program works—it really does.”
Murray attributed her progress in overcoming a 30-year struggle with addiction to the court’s structure, which she praised for instilling a new sense of responsibility. “Every time I showed up on time, I knew I could be responsible,” Murray said. “Don’t quit—because if I can do it, anyone can.”