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From Hell to Heaven reveals the transformative journey of one courageous woman, Linda, as she navigates the trials of life, taking us from the darkest depths to the heights of healing and self-discovery. Born in the Midwest and thrust into a life of constant upheaval as her military family moved from country to country post wartime, Linda’s early years were marked by deep emotional challenges. At just 12 years old, she turned to alcohol, hoping to numb her pain and feel “normal”—a coping mechanism that many may recognize. But this was only the beginning of her escape.

By age 17, Linda discovered heroin—a drug that took her even further from herself, plunging her into a harrowing cycle of addiction. Her life spiraled into a world of alcohol, promiscuity, opiates, lies, and desperation as she sought to mask her suffering, ultimately bringing her to the brink of life and death, over and over again. She lived in what can only be described as hell.

At 25, Linda hit rock bottom. Working in a pharmacy, she had easy access to pharmaceutical drugs and regularly stole to feed her addiction. But one fateful morning, the opportunity to steal was gone, and she began to unravel. Having cycled through drug rehab, psychiatric wards, overdoses, and survived two suicide attempts, something within her whispered a plea for help. Desperate, trembling from withdrawal, she found the number for ADCO, the last outpatient facility she had visited. Instead, she reached a 12-Step recovery answering service—a program she had never heard of, yet stayed on the line, speaking with someone who invited her to leave her number for a callback. That call came, and she agreed to receive a call from a member of this 12-step program—a moment that would change the course of her life forever.

Linda’s memoir chronicles the first 40+ years, diving deep into the 20 pivotal years that shaped her recovery and self-discovery. In 16 powerful chapters, we witness the unfolding of her life through flashbacks that illuminate the circumstances that led to her addiction and the profound healing that followed.

Through Linda’s eyes, we explore what predisposes someone to alcoholism and addiction, and more importantly, the path to recovery. We witness the evolution of her family dynamics and her journey to wholeness. The thread of self-awareness is woven throughout—guiding us to look within, to know ourselves intimately, and to embrace the healing power of community support during times of deep transformation. Each chapter introduces new characters—people who played a critical role in Linda’s recovery and are celebrated for their unique contributions to her healing journey.

From Hell to Heaven invites us to:

• Experience the power of choice at the threshold of life and death,
• Feel the intensity of emotions rather than numbing them,
• Rediscover our essence beneath layers of family and societal conditioning,
• Shift our perception from outside-in (society and family influences) to inside-out (intuition, Spirit, and awareness),
• Reevaluate the meaning of the American Dream,
• Relax into the grace that constantly flows through our lives,
• Reframe struggles as gifts that offer growth and transformation,
• Deepen our understanding of the science of addiction,
• Embrace the power of forgiveness—for ourselves and others,
• Celebrate our humanity, and
• Embrace hope for life beyond recovery.

At the end of each chapter, Linda offers reflections in Lessons & Blessings, where we are invited to find the hidden gifts within the darkest experiences. She boldly states that, if given the chance, she would live it all again, exactly as it happened. The lessons and blessings she’s gained far outweigh the pain she endured during her addiction years.

Linda’s story is not just one of recovery, but of transcendence—a testimony to the strength of the human spirit and the possibility of finding heaven, even after having lived through hell.